Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank everybody for their contribution and the meeting has been very educational. I have much to learn but I find it very interesting. I have spent much time before the courts in the past ten or 15 years. I know many people in every county in Ireland and because of my background an incredible number of people have contacted me about issues relating to today's discussion. I am conscious that the majority of people who ran into problems, particularly with the large financial institutions, had no money left and it was very hard for them to get justice. The general feeling is that in the Commercial Court, the financial institutions win 10-0 every day. People feel there is no access to justice because they cannot afford it. It is a major problem. This could certainly help in some way.

Mr. Coleman mentioned the circling of the wagons by the State and we see that in many different areas in here. Aside from the tendency to circle the wagons and take up that defensive position, much like the Health Service Executive and other State institutions do when challenged, why is the Government so opposed to doing something about this? The witnesses mentioned champerty. In Ireland the rules around it come from legislation from 1634. The British and Welsh got rid of it in 1967.