Ms Sara Moorhead:

I can tell the Chairman that the common theme he will hear from solicitors who work for insurance companies at the moment is that they are told they have failed if they cross the bridge at the Four Courts to negotiate these cases. For the past two or three years, insurance companies have been firmly intent on not using barristers until the last minute.

Someone can often get a telephone call the day before asking them to take on a case. They are cutting back on the use of them even for plaintiffs. I am afraid that barristers getting a gig is becoming a diminishing position for plaintiffs and defence. In fairness to Mr. Gilhooly, if he gets a good offer for his client early on, he does not need a barrister to tell him it is a good offer and, therefore, he does not retain a barrister. Therefore, the barrister does not get anything out of it. I do not think the question of whether the barrister is going to get a gig is something with which solicitors are going to concern themselves, nor should they.