Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a said during a previous discussion on this matter, Mr. Allen even paid a visit to this House as part of his search for credibility. He spoke to my colleague, Senator Thomas Byrne, who reported the matter to the Garda and outlined his concerns after questioning Mr. Allen quite thoroughly. Senator Byrne said a mass deception was going ahead. Can the Minister confirm whether a formal Garda investigation into these activities of misrepresentation and deception is taking place? We do not know whether there is. The Minister has said he cannot comment on what the Garda is doing, but surely he can tell us whether a formal investigation is under way. The usual practice with this type of scheme, and with pyramid schemes in general, is that everybody stands back and lets it roll away until it collapses. All the fall-out from that must be dealt with then. It is a matter of trying to catch this as a work in progress, rather than catching it when all of the ill-gotten gains have been bagged and those involved have ridden off into the sunset. Many of the victims of this scam want to remain below the radar and are not prepared to make a formal report. Is a formal Garda investigation into this activity under way?

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