Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Okay, thank you. I just want to deal with just one other matter before we move on to Deputy Higgins, and that's in regard to just the property ... general property-related lending strategies and the risk appetite in Ulster Bank, and this question is specifically to Mr. Gallagher.

Mr. Gallagher, I want to talk to you about the staffing and appropriate lending skill sets as they would have pertained in Ulster Bank at the time, particularly in around the mid-2000s. Was there any concerns or difficulties with regard to the skill sets of staff members, particularly in regard to when market conditions would deteriorate and loan impairments started to increase? And did you consider that Ulster Bank had sufficiently-trained staff with the appropriate skill sets to deal with the arrear collections and the managing of problem loans? It's like moving, in sporting parlance from offence to defence, did you actually have the skill sets at that time?