Mr. Ger Deering:

Therefore, the cases were well outside the six-year rule.

In terms of the points made by the Senator and the Chairman, and coming back to the memorandum of understanding with the Central Bank and the work that we can do, last year we conducted a huge analysis of tracker mortgages. We provided a dossier that contained a significant amount of information to the Central Bank that has informed its current examination. Our co-operation with the Central Bank is extremely important and comes back to the Chairman's query about whether the matter is widespread or endemic. We have 300 tracker complaints on hold in my office. We have asked the consumers whether they want to progress or wait and the vast majority have decided voluntarily to put their complaints on hold. Irrespective of what comes out of the examination conducted by the Central Bank into those banks, those people will have an opportunity to progress their complaint in our office. Indeed, people will have an opportunity complain about the redress scheme if they are not satisfied that it is reasonable and meets their needs. Within the existing confines we try to take the broadest possible view. As Deputy Doherty has said, that the most significant aspect of his Bill, and we would say the same about the Government's Bill, is the extension of the time limit, as it will be most beneficial to consumers.