Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Pardon me if I am not enthusiastic in my embrace of the reply but I am not suggesting that Ms Howard is saying other than as she has been informed and as she sees it. However, Gresham House is in the course of attempting to move in, offering financial services to, presumably, a lot of people.

I must pose that question in order to satisfy my curiosity, among other things.

I will finish by saying that, at this level, both banks have always been very courteous and helpful whenever we have raised any issues. It did not always happen that way further down the line. There may be reasons for that. The Chairman knows the reasons for it as well with regard to people of interest in terms of membership of political parties, exposure and so forth. The presumption of guilt in all of these matters is a dangerous route to go. I have been involved in many arguments with people on the degree to which inquisitorial investigations were conducted, without authority and permission and in a sneaky way. The witnesses would regard such investigations in that way if faced with them. However, that is all over and done with now.

As customers of lending institutions and as public representatives, we need to keep in mind the manner and methodology used for putting pressure on public representatives. We must remember that lending institutions can do it themselves, and have done it in the past. This is a sensitive area about which the Chairman and I know about from countless dealings on our own behalf and on that of customers. The amazing thing was that the vast majority of public representatives and their families knew nothing about that inquisitorial campaign at all, which is completely at variance with EU law. Yes, it happened.

I thank the witnesses for being courteous and effective. For those who were not, I do not acquiesce, but I note it.