Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
199. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties that thatch property owners are facing in regards insuring their properties; and if his Department will take steps to provide support to ensure Irish heritage properties and homes can be insured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36818/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the challenges facing owners of thatched buildings in relation to securing insurance. Both Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage plan, and A Living Tradition, the new vernacular architectural heritage strategy, contain actions to address the issue of insurance of protected structures, including thatched buildings.
Action 6 of A Living Tradition sets out to ‘enhance the protection and conservation of historic thatched roofs’. Officials in my Department have established a dedicated steering group, the Built Vernacular Heritage (Thatch) Steering Group, to oversee and assist with the implementation of this particular part of the strategy. The group consists of a range of stakeholders – two thatch owners (one of them a thatcher), a local authority architectural conservation officer, a local authority heritage officer, a thatching grant inspector from my Department, a Heritage Council representative and an architect from the Department for Communities (Northern Ireland).
Under this action, my Department and the steering group will examine all issues relevant to thatched buildings, including thatching standards, fire prevention guidance, and the availability of suitable thatching materials. The group's first priority is to address the urgent issue of availability and affordability of insurance for thatched buildings. A study is currently underway to establish the facts of the situation and make recommendations for how the problem can be remedied. The study will include consultation with thatch owners, fire safety experts, insurers, and regulatory bodies. An interim report is due to be completed in September and the final report in November. I am committed to taking prompt action guided by the facts to be established in this study.
The group consists of a range of stakeholders – two thatch owners (one of them a thatcher), a local authority architectural conservation officer, a local authority heritage officer, a thatching grant inspector from my department, a Heritage Council representative and an architect from the Department for Communities (Northern Ireland).
The group's first priority is to address the urgent issue of availability and affordability of insurance for thatched buildings. A study is currently underway to establish the facts of the situation and make recommendations for how the problem can be remedied. The study will include consultation with thatch owners, fire safety experts, insurers, and regulatory bodies. An interim report is due to be completed in September and the final report in November. I am committed to taking prompt action guided by the facts to be established in this study.
