Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to address the tourism commitments in the programme for Government. One of the finest tourism assets we have is the West Cork Secret activity centre in Kilbrittain. Its visitor numbers have increased year after year since opening. This all-year-round secret garden is a popular attraction that brings in visitors from all over Ireland and abroad. It is the brainchild of the O'Mahony family, who built up this wonderful facility from scratch, putting hours of hard work and planning into it. It is now creating as many as ten jobs in the rural community of Kilbrittain. However, it is facing an uphill battle to remain open, as it has been hit with a increase in its insurance cost from €7,000 last year to €25,000 this year. This is unacceptable, and it is the case in many more businesses throughout west Cork and Ireland. We have spent the past two and a half years talking about tackling the issue of insurance overcharging in the Dáil, but as the Taoiseach can see, we have not succeeded. Companies are going out of business. Will the Government take immediate action to stop what is nothing short of an insurance scandal?

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