Mattie McGrath: Motorcycle events in Tipperary hit by insurance crisis
Mattie McGrath raised concerns about motorcycle events being unable to secure insurance, saying longstanding events such as Fine and Fifty in Tipperary are losing their season. He criticised a lack of effective government effort and noted organisers can obtain cover in Northern Ireland.
Main complaint
The Deputy said motorcycle events and clubs, including Fine and Fifty in Tipperary, cannot get insurance in the Republic despite having health and safety officers and organisers present.
Economic and community impact
He said these events give huge added value to communities, support people who sell machinery and parts, underpin livelihoods and allow people to enjoy their sport, warning that the season is slipping away.
Comparative availability
He emphasised that organisers "can get it in Northern Ireland, so absolutely no effort has been made," and argued the sport has been left abandoned despite many people excelling at it.
Government response
The Taoiseach said the sector and industry should come together to negotiate a group scheme, citing that similar approaches were used for childcare and for adventure sports and adventure centres, and said he would inform the minister and seek further engagement.
Next steps
McGrath pressed for urgent action to secure insurance cover for motorcycle clubs and events and urged government engagement to end what he described as an insurance racket affecting organisers and communities.
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I've asked you a number of times about the situation regarding motorcycles and motorcycle events. Fine and Fifty has been running for decades in my county, Tipperary, and they can't get insurance. The different clubs and organisations across the country, whether it be catering, whether it be quadracing, whether it be motorcycles, all carried on safely. And with health and safety officers and everybody else present, they just cannot get insurance in the Republic. They can get it in Northern Ireland, so absolutely no effort has been made. And the season is slipping away from them. And these give huge added value to communities where they're on, to the people who sell their machinery and the equipment and the parts of it. And indeed, people are entitled to enjoy their sport. We all go horse racing, GMXers, you name it. And this sport has been just abandoned because it's not supposed to be able to have no interest in it. Very many people excel at it, it's worth a lot to the economy, and it's their livelihoods, people that love it. Thank you, Deputy. And they fail to get insurance, you have some meetings with the Journal of Ministers, but no real effective effort by your government to start out this insurance racket. Thank you very much. Taoiseach. The Deputy journey of what works best in this kind of scenario is for the sector and the industry to come together and negotiate a group scheme. We ran into this issue with childcare, we came up with a solution. We ran into this issue with adventure sports and adventure centres, and we came up with a solution. That's the thing that will make a difference, but I'll certainly let Minister Carol MacNeill know that it was raised again, and see if she can engage with them further. Deputy Catherine Connolly. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
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