Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy O'Donoghue said, if legislation and the Government are telling the group that a property is listed then they should have a responsibility to make sure that those buildings are kept up. We are talking about very small numbers. This is the crazy thing about it. In a couple of years' time if we do not look after these buildings we will lose them. Once something is gone it is gone forever and we will not see it again. Mr. Darby has said that we will only see it on a postcard. It is a very sad reflection on where we are going that we cannot see how important the likes of thatched buildings are to our economy and to families such as the witnesses' own children, that have been there for generations. To think that we could lose this over some stupid silly rules, or through somebody in the Department not looking outside of the box and being willing to do something.

Unless members have any other issues to raise, I will ask Ms McNelis and Mr. Darby to make closing statements if they wish.

Outside of what has already been proposed, is there anything else the group would have us ask when the committee brings the Ministers of State, Deputies Noonan and Fleming, in before the committee to answer questions, to see what pressure we can put on them to speed stuff up? And outside of that, is there anything the witnesses feel that we as a committee can do to try to put pressure on the Ministers of State?