News
Rebuilding costs continue to accelerate

By John Healy of Healy Insurances
The cost of construction has accelerated to record levels in recent months. As the country emerged from COVID restrictions the construction industry faced supply chain issues and delayed projects.
Since then, the sector has battled shortages of materials, labour shortages and overall inflation in the wider economy. The end result of this turmoil is a huge increase in the cost of building. From an insurance perspective this is going to have far reaching consequences.
Your property should be insured for the reinstatement cost and not the market value, in order words the cost of rebuilding the house excluding the site value. Bear in mind that currently the rebuild cost could be higher than the market value.
The base rebuilding costs in the Kerry region are running at an average of €190 to €200 a square foot in the most recently published guide. I would wager that this figure is over €200 since the guide was published. Bear in mind the guide is based upon estate type houses built since the 1960s. The calculation should account for the most recent building regulations, professional fees, demolition costs and VAT, and should make provision for higher than average fittings, built in wardrobes, fences, walls, and garages.
UNDER INSURANCE
It is very important to note that “under insurance” can have a serious effect on any future claims settlements. All policies include an “Average Clause” which means in the event of “under insurance” any claims settlement can be reduced in value in proportion to the degree of under insurance. Where the Sum Insured is only 75% of the total reinstatement cost, you will receive 75% of the agreed cost of reinstatement, whether the claim is made for partial reinstatement or total loss.
I would recommend that you review your reinstatement sum insured sooner rather than later and review again in six month’s time. Inflation, supply chain shortages and the war in Ukraine are all affecting construction costs. In order to get a definitive individual reinstatement value on your house you should contact an independent qualified surveyor.
The Institute of Chartered Surveyors review rebuilding costs nationally and issue an annual report along with a handy calculator, this can be found at www.scsi.ie.
News
Jessie Buckley to perform live on RTE this Friday 22nd September

This Culture Night, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh will present an hour-long live music and arts programme from Dún Lúiche in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht at 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
Actress and singer Jessie Buckley has been added to the list of stellar musicians who will perform with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on the night. Jessie will perform a special rendition of a Sinéad O’Connor song in tribute to the late artist.
Jessie commented: “I am very honoured to return to Culture Night 2023 to remember Sinéad O Connor with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Sinéad was such a huge influence on so many women in Ireland and across the world, her courage, her mind, her politics and her intense beauty and soul. She was a warrior to humanity. I remember hearing her for the first time and feeling her uncompromising need to connect and affect. Recognising what couldn’t be said and speaking it out loud. I am so grateful for all her fire and all her love. It is such a privilege to return to Ireland for RTÉ Culture Night in Donegal to sing a song of gratitude for Sinéad and her family and friends.”
Other artists performing with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra include The Murder Capital, R&B singer and 2FM Rising star Aby Coulibaly and Irish-based Ukrainian musician Olesya Zdorovetska.
Friday 22nd September, 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
News
N22 Killarney to Faranfore road further delayed
The revealing of the preferred route corridor for the construction of the new Killarney to Farranfore road has been delayed – again. Four potential routes for the N22 Farranfore-Killarney project […]

The revealing of the preferred route corridor for the construction of the new Killarney to Farranfore road has been delayed – again.
Four potential routes for the N22 Farranfore-Killarney project were identified and were put out to public consultation in May 2021. These have now been whittled down to just one.
It was previously promised that the preferred route would be published late last year.
This dragged on in to the Spring and there is still no sigh of the preferred route being revealed.
A recent Kerry County Council meeting a council official explained that there are further funding requirements to allow the council complete various reports and investigations required before the road can move to its next phase.
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