Results 381-400 of 4,009 for speaker:Martin Browne
- Committee on Public Petitions: Visit of Kenyan Delegation (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: On behalf of the committee, I say to His Excellency that we have found yesterday and today to be informative. It was a pleasure to meet the delegation and have the discussion about our petitions committee and how the Kenyan one is set up. As Deputy Buckley said, we made history in meeting a delegation from another petitions committee. As Deputy Higgins said, it is interesting to hear about...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: We will now continue our consideration of petition No. 00036/21, which is on seeking reform of insurance for thatched heritage buildings and on related EU Commission correspondence. On behalf of the committee, I extend a warm welcome to the representatives from the Alliance for Insurance Reform: Mr. Brian Hanley, CEO; and Mr. Peter Boland, board member. I also welcome the representatives...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: I apologise. I should have said sorry to the witnesses at the start. The delay in the first session with the delegation from Kenya put us an hour behind. I thank Ms Murdock.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: Mr. Boland wishes to contribute on that matter.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: What is the bigger risk in a flue going up from a stove than an open fire with a hearth going up? Can someone explain that? I am from an age that I remember going to my grandparents' home with open fires, seeing sparks coming up from a chimney and no fire. Now that there is a stove with a flue up and only sparks coming out at the very top, suddenly there is a greater risk.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: That is what I am talking about. I remember open fires in my house and in this type of weather or this time of year, you would see sparks rising up and coming out the top of the chimney. It was not just at ground level. I cannot understand how anybody can stand over that and say that there is a bigger fire risk. Ms Murdock was saying she is an engineer and I will take her word for it but...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: There are only 320 and they need 1,000.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: That is where the Deputy is coming from.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: Is there something that can be done for people in private houses and businesses?
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: The witnesses know and we know that they will not get 1,000. It has been thrown out the whole time they need to get 1,000, but it is not going to happen. There are 320 people who have tried to bring that scheme together. For it to be viable, they need 1,000. Is there something that can be done for people in private residences and businesses? We have heard it here that they cannot sell or...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: It is right that Insurance Ireland has a duty of care to its members, but it is also taking premiums off people.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: Some properties have no fire or open fire or they have heat pumps. There is no reduction in people's premiums where there is no risk of sparks going up the flue. Surely, the insurance companies have a responsibility to those kinds of people and premiums should be coming down. Coming back to something Ms Murdock said earlier in the opening statement, there is a greater risk to "rural...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: Where is that feedback from?
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: I have done a lot of work with the Cashel fire brigade. I would imagine that over the last 30 years, machinery and the whole lot has improved drastically. As I said, the houses are the same distance from Cashel town as they were 30 years ago. I cannot make out why it is suddenly a greater risk or greater distance to get out with the new machinery they have.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: The retained firefighters have to respond within five minutes but they can only work within 2 km from the middle of the town. Same as it always was. I think that is a complete red herring as an excuse.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: There are just a couple of things I would like to raise. Ms Murdock spoke about new capacity coming into Ireland. What the petitioners have witnessed is that that is not the case, apart from one particular insurer that has traditionally provided insurance to thatched properties but is no longer taking on new clients and for any new additions it is asking for astronomical prices. Can Ms...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: None of us want to see anybody going out of business. There are very few of them we can name that went out of business but the profits, when companies are making profits, are astronomical. There must be some bit of give back at some stage.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: We are still paying it.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)
Martin Browne: I would ask for each of the witnesses' views on the interpretation of the Solvency II directive.