Mr. Neil McDonnell:

Regarding insurance coverage for business interruption and continuity, again, because we are advising members on this issue, it is really about what is in the long grass of what is written in a policy. It is not possible to make a sweeping generalisation. Insurers, and I said this to a Deputy earlier, have had no issue for years in stating that they do not cover businesses for acts of god or for strikes. They also need to be very careful about making offers on business interruption and business continuity if they are not going to cover those instances. To be fair to insurers, however, we have a significant issue in Ireland with the level of damages and this comes back to the Members of this House. We need to straighten out the book of quantum and the duty of care, which is outrageous in this country. We also need a statutory offence of perjury to stop people lying for money and we need to straighten out the position when it comes to defamation. We know we have a problem when we see Hollywood stars flying into the country in order to sue for defamation.