Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

What is critical is that we are acting with urgency now. There have been significant efforts down the years to try to resolve this issue. It is hugely challenging and the catalyst in our Department was the development of the vernacular strategy and ensuring we have, as Minister of State, Deputy Fleming said, a whole-of-government approach to it. In terms of reassurance to owners of thatched properties, who are listening, the report we will have at the end of the month will help. The work of the thatched working group in our Department has been very useful because it is trying to tease out a myriad of issues affecting the owners of thatched properties, not just insurance issues. Reducing the risk will help and, hopefully, a quite clear direction will emerge from the report around reducing the fire risk I hope will help with the insurance premiums.

To answer the Chairman's question, I share his concerns. It would be devastating to continue to lose these houses. I would love to see a time where there would be more thatched properties entering our building stock. We are acting with urgency on this in both Departments.