T.I.A.G. is a voluntary group set up by a group of concerned thatch owners in 2022 campaigning for equal access to home insurance. In Ireland today, you can own a home the State insists you preserve — but cannot insure it no matter how hard you try.

This is the reality facing many owners of thatched cottages, an iconic part of our rural landscape and architectural heritage. Their predicament exposes a deep contradiction in public policy, and unless action is taken soon, we risk losing both the homes and the heritage they represent.

The Government’s latest Action Plan for Insurance Reform 2025–2029 promises 26 actions across six themes. It follows on from the earlier 2020–2024 plan, which sought to cut premiums, improve transparency, and modernise practices. Some progress is visible: personal injury claims are down, the Injuries Resolution Board has been strengthened, and there is a broad consensus around increasing competition.

For thatch owners, however, these reforms mean little. Their problem isn’t just exorbitant premiums — it’s access to insurance cover at all.