Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
969. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that the North Tipperary Horse Show had to cancel this year's show due to rising insurance costs; and the steps he is taking to ensure that insurance is available and affordable for country shows. [28003/23]
View answerI wish to acknowledge the important role that horse shows and agricultural shows play in rural Ireland, showcasing all that is good about horse breeding, farming and farm families. The matter of escalating insurance costs and the difficulties experienced by country shows in obtaining insurance is a common and concerning challenge across the country among all community and sporting organisations. The matter of insurance costs was subject to Dáil debate last month. My colleague, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath noted that neither he, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, as per the EU Solvency II Directive insurance framework. As such, the Government faces constraints in seeking to address this matter. Nonetheless, the Government continues to prioritise reform via the Action Plan for Insurance Reform. Minister McGrath also met with the CEOs of the major insurers operating in the domestic Irish market and outlined Governments expectation that they will pass on the savings and broaden their risk appetite, including to sporting and community-based groups arising from the implementation of the reform programme.
As an additional support to shows, my colleague, Minister for Community and Rural Development, Heather Humphreys, allocated €700,000 to the Irish Shows Association in 2022 to assist with their increased running costs including insurance.
It is hoped these interventions will assist to reduce some of the burden of the costs incurred in these challenging times.
