Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations and their papers in advance. I wish to get a flavour of the CCPC for the person who might happen to be watching this meeting online or on various other media channels. Is there a staff of 20, 200, 2,000 or 20,000? I wish to discuss motor insurance, but will the witnesses first give us a brief flavour of the CCPC's main areas of activity, for example, telephone costs, mortgages or motor insurance?

In the 1980s, there was talk of an airline cartel on particular routes and banks behaving in a cartel-like fashion. The car industry might also have been mentioned, although possibly not in this jurisdiction. It seems to be very difficult to prove cartel-like behaviour - I will use that phrase, as it will probably not get me into as much trouble - where everyone appears to be doing the same thing. When almost everyone goes one way but someone else goes a different way, a person might get suspicious. For example, a bank might do something that ultimately did not prove profitable despite looking like it would, yet other banks will have already followed it down the same line.

Given that this investigation seems to be just about price signalling, it is limited. The witnesses mentioned a year. How many bodies will be involved? I am not asking the witnesses what questions will be put to them, as that would not be appropriate. Deputy Sherlock asked about the outcome if action were taken. The investigation will be limited and I do not know how easy it will be to prove price signalling beyond what would be a reasonable doubt in court.

The witnesses might start with the structure, numbers, etc.