Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Corcoran. I have a question for either Dr. McCarthy or Dr. Byrne. The report they published in 2018 was excellent. I understand it was commissioned and funded by the Central Bank and the Social Finance Foundation. One of the recommendations in the report is that the Government adopt a policy that prohibits ultra-high rates of interest, in the interests of fairness and the most vulnerable in society, through the introduction of a restriction on interest rates and charges. That was in 2018. Do they describe the current levels of interest that are permitted to be charged by moneylenders as ultra high? Do they believe they are? Second, what has been the response of the Department of Finance since the publication of that report? Has there been any engagement with Dr. McCarthy or Dr. Byrne in respect of adopting the recommendations in the report?