Mr. Pat Farrell:

The Deputy has asked an interesting question. We are more concerned with certainty about getting a decision than the fines. In one way, there is not an awful lot of benefit in handing people back their own money if the purpose of it is to buy more time in order to prolong the decision-making process. It is far better to get certainty of outcome and adherence to the timelines that have been set out. I am not convinced that the monetary fines are a sufficient incentive to address the issue concerned.