Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The Senator referred to a number of issues as regards the styles of thatch and some properties being modernised inside or modern-ish buildings. I gave the example of the Thatch, in Cloneen, Tipperary. There are some fabulous older businesses still managing to operate from these buildings. There are a lot of traditional thatches where the owners have kept absolutely pure to the original building fabric and structure. It requires a great deal of care and commitment on the part the owners to do that. Many of the ones I have been in have all mod cons inside. From a climate perspective, they are probably the most comfortable buildings you could be in. They are the most natural, carbon-neutral buildings we have. They are hugely important in an Irish context. It would be hard to overestimate how important they are. There are so few of them left in the country. That is why there is a commitment in the Government to try to not only save the ones we have but actually to see if we can support owners of, in particular, buildings where there is thatch under a tin roof where they might opt to restore them fully. We want to try to get to a place where we celebrate them and support them and we can perhaps see their number increasing over time. That is what we would love.