Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Sloyan will appreciate that we get petitions in here frequently for strange things. One of the strange ones before us right now and we have discussed it at length, thanks to the Chairman and indeed our wonderful support staff, is the area of insurance, specifically insurance for thatched properties. It has become a bugbear in here. As of right now, and the Chairman will correct me if I am wrong, we have been unable to establish statistically a reason the insurance companies would be unwilling to take on thatched properties. Are they any more at risk of a fire than a slate roof house? It just seems very high handed. Insurance companies make these decisions and there is very little to advise as to why the decision arose. Is this a place where the ombudsman would feel comfortable working?