Ms Linda Murray:

To respond to some of Deputy Burton's points, all our businesses, with the exception of perhaps one or two, have a disclaimer for people to sign. Unfortunately, however, when an accident happens to a minor, disclaimers are not worth the paper on which they are written. We would welcome a change in the duty of care to the effect that when someone is on the premises of a business whose owner is not negligent, a disclaimer will stand. Nobody is questioning anything about where negligence has occurred. It would be ideal if a disclaimer stood for something but, unfortunately, it does not.

On the 24-hour accident care, we would all welcome it but one is afraid of one's life of suggesting paying for that or even giving the child a Smyths voucher if he or she has sustained an injury. Insurance companies will say it amounts to an admission of liability if there is an offer of something. Nevertheless, many businesses will offer something such as vouchers where something has happened that is not the business's fault, although one can still end up being sued even after offering something like that. Being able to pay for medical expenses, as is the case in Scandinavia, would be great.

Senator Horkan spoke about similar premiums in the UK. I am not sure whether he was present earlier when I mentioned that one of our members paid £1,500 in the UK to have his trains insured there. To have them insured in Ireland, however, he had to pay €33,000 through the same company in the UK, which illustrates the difference.

On FBD, I challenge it to insure us as a group. I stated we have €5 million in premiums and €1 million in claims and reserves. I would love, therefore, if FBD was asked why it will not insure us.

Finally, I thank Deputy Eugene Murphy for his kind words. I will not give up without a fight.