Mr. Ciaran Breen:

I wish to explain a point on cases that go to court. Often, even when we take a case to court and we are contesting a particular issue, it does not mean we are contesting all of the issues. We may get a settlement during the course of the trial, in other words, a negotiated settlement. In fact, awards, even for cases that go to court, that is, within the 3% figure, are relatively minimal. It looks as if far more cases go to court than is actually the case because cases involving infants or wards of court must be ruled by the High Court. Therefore, they are reported on widely in the media but they have never actually gone to court in terms of a hearing before the court. It is purely going before the court for a ruling.