Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen to discuss petition seeking ‘Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings’ and related EC correspondence

The meeting at 1.30pm in Committee Room 4 of Leinster House will be split into two sessions to discuss Public Petition No. P00036/21 “Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings” from Ms Kate McNelis and Correspondence received from the EU Commission in relation to EU Directive 2009/138/EC (Solvency II):

1:30pm-2:30pm –

• Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, Department of Finance; and
• Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage;

2:30pm-3:30pm –

• Representatives from Alliance for Insurance Reform, Mr Brian Hanley, CEO; and Mr Peter Boland, Board Member; and
• Representatives from Insurance Ireland, Ms Moyagh Murdock, CEO; Mr Florian Wimber, Director Advocacy & Public Affairs, Solvency II Lead; and Mr Michael Curtin, Manager of Regulation and Policy Development.

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Martin Browne said: “The Committee very much welcomes this update on the petition from Ms Katie McNelis seeking reform of insurance for thatched heritage buildings. The petitioner grew up in a thatched cottage in rural Co Tipperary and she petition the Committee last year after her family was unable to source insurance for their home following their previous insurer’s withdrawal from the Irish market. Last year the Committee heard from Ms McNelis and the Thatch Insurance Action Group, and the Ministers of State in the Departments of Finance and Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

“The Committee looks forward to hearing an update from Ministers Carroll McNeill and Noonan on the ongoing research and reform work in their departments around insurance for thatched heritage buildings, particularly in the context of the correspondence from the European Commission regarding the 2009 EU directive on the business of insurance and reinsurance. Members will also hear from the representatives of the Alliance from Insurance Reform and Insurance Ireland on the matter.”

The Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen is a standing Committee of the Houses of the Oireachtas and has 11 Members, seven from the Dáil and four from the Seanad.

The meeting in the Committee Room 4 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.