Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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107. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps that she is taking to address the cost of insurance for community organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45136/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My Department is currently working to assist in addressing the impact the cost and availability of insurance is having on community organisations.

In publishing the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025, Government has acknowledged the importance of volunteering to the well-being of the nation, and set out a plan for the delivery of an agreed and ambitious vision. The Strategy, launched in December 2020, is a whole-of-government framework to support the volunteering sector, the purpose of which is to recognise, support and promote the unique value and contribution of volunteers to Irish society.

Action 23 of the Strategy focuses on the cost and availability of insurance for volunteering activities. It aims to represent the views of the sector in relation to the impact of the cost and availability of public liability insurance on volunteering, through engagement with the Insurance Reform sub-group of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment, which was established to implement the Government’s insurance reform agenda.

Work has commenced on implementing Action 23 of the Strategy. My Department is currently working with stakeholders to undertake a review of the impact of the cost and availability of public liability insurance on volunteering. Once complete, the findings of the review and its recommendations will assist in informing our interactions with the Insurance Reform sub-group.