Mr. Ciaran McDonnell:

Yes. I echo those comments. These thatched properties are not museums. We must have cost structures that are within norms to allow people to live in them. It is supposed to be part of the living tradition and they have to evolve and adapt while being maintained as thatched structures.

It is a very good idea to get the two Ministers of State in a room at the same time. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage believes that this is an insurance problem, which means that it wants to keep the heritage aspect but views it is an insurance problem. The Minister of State with responsibility for insurance believes that it is a thatch problem and the issue should be solved by the Department with responsibility for heritage. In reality it is both sides. Both Departments need to act.