John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Pearse Doherty made a point about insurance that I also mentioned to the Minister of State at our last meeting. The Kilkenny flood relief scheme was one of the biggest in the country. In spite of the size of the scheme and the fact that the area has not flooded since, residents of John's Quay in Kilkenny city still find it difficult to get insurance cover. I raised the specific question of insurance companies taking information from the report on the website. I am asking that in meetings with the insurance companies, or Insurance Ireland, the Minister of State highlight the fact that insurers are treating some residents unfairly. The example I gave the Minister of State the last time he was before the committee was of an area which had never flooded, yet the residents cannot get insurance cover or sell their properties. When there was flooding at John's Quay, millions of euro was spent on the flood relief scheme, but some of the residents are still having difficulties in getting insurance cover. If the Minister of State has ongoing meetings with the insurance companies, or their representatives, will he, please, bring pressure to bear on them where insurers are being unfair and unreasonable?