Can’t get insurance
LABOUR Party Sligo/ Leitrim General Election candidate Nessa Cosgrove says that her Labour party has come up with a possible solution to tackle the high cost of insurance that has led to the cancellation of numerous community projects, festivals and markets in many of our towns and cities across the country.
Nessa Cosgrove who is a member of the Cartron Community Recreational Committee said they had been working hard over the last number of years with the County Council in acquiring a piece of land in Cartron Point but now they had finally acquired the land they were finding it virtually impossible to find any insurance company to even give a quotation for developing a multi-age community park in the large open green space.
Nessa said:“I know that we are not alone and we are aware that almost half of the country’s community groups are in danger of closing if insurance costs continue to rise.
“We can see a first -hand example of this here in Gurteen where they sadly had to close their playground in September.
“We have met with other playground groups in the area and most of them are absolutely worn down with the constant fundraising needed to pay for rising insurance costs, with many of them paying over €1,500 a year.
“The majority of members of these groups are parents who just want to enjoy their local community with their friends and family and feel that they are hitting and relying on the same people within their areas for donations each year.”
Nessa said a solution the Labour Party has come up with would expand the remit of Irish Public Bodies (IPB) Insurance to provide affordable public liability insurance to community groups and events that otherwise couldn’t afford it.
IBP Insurance is a stateowned mutual insurance company, owned by local authorities, ETB’s, regional assemblies and the HSE and she believes that “until the Government sorts out the current problems with the insurance industry, IPB Insurance should be able to provide organisers with an affordable option.
“Private insurance companies are highly profitable, yet the cost of insurance keeps going up.
“If premiums continue to rise there is a danger down the line that this problem could extend further into the shutting down of locals sports clubs.
“Community parks and community events are the cornerstone of our society and we can see now more than ever the benefits that exercise, fresh air, interaction with others and connectivity with nature has on the positive development of our minds and bodies.
“Using a state-owned insurance company to provide low cost insurance will save community events up and down the country and as we approach Christmas, we know that there are countless markets and festivals that will struggle due to the high cost of insurance.
“These events play a central role in communities in the build-up to Christmas, and it would be a real shame if they had to be cancelled.
“Every community, including ours here in Sligo should be able to put on celebrations and occasions without being crippled by the cost of insurance” concluded Nessa.”
Labour Party councillors will propose the motion at their respective councils and Education and Training Boards in the coming weeks and months