Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

"Children were not protected from the risk of harm." That is the line that really sums up the HIQA report into governance failures at Children's Health Ireland, CHI, published this morning. The investigation was commissioned following revelations that non-approved springs were implanted in three children during surgery at Temple Street Hospital. My first thought today is with those children and their families.

This report is a damning litany of failure: failure of governance; failure of management; abject failure by Government to act and Ministers to do their job. This is, after all, the body that runs the major children's hospitals in this State and the failures were widespread and systemic. Children's Health Ireland failed abysmally to keep children under its care safe - in fact, it put them in harm's way. These failures cover every area - management, governance, risk assessment, ethics, informed consent - and happened because Children's Health Ireland is not fit for purpose and was allowed to carry on in that way.

There was no overarching framework for governance; different doctors were working at different hospitals under different rules; there were separate procurement processes across each hospital; and there were no proper checks or oversight of process. Parents were kept in the dark about the true nature of the surgeries carried out on their children and there was very poor follow-up care for the children involved. These are all the hallmarks of an organisation playing by its own rules, outside of normal practice and with zero consequences.

It is the responsibility of Government to ensure the most robust, effective and safe practices are in place at all our hospitals. The failures at Children's Health Ireland were known for years and known to Government and yet nothing was done. We are now witnessing this pattern of behaviour, dysfunction and scandal repeated again with regard to unnecessary hip surgeries on children. There must be accountability all round, including political accountability. These failures span seven years and two health Ministers and were raised many times at the very highest level and were raised here in the Dáil. Government stood back and allowed this disaster for children's healthcare to happen and to go unchecked. Caibidil cháinteach eile atá sa tuarascáil seo i dteip leanúnach an Rialtais ar leanaí le scolóis agus spina bifida. Cuireadh leanaí i mbaol in áit iad a chosaint mar ba chóir.

The trust of children and their families has been shattered. It was a case of all promise and no action from Government. Yesterday the parents of 14-year-old Daniel Collins went to the media to call for an end to their child's suffering. He has been waiting so long for surgery that he now needs two operations. He lives with pain so severe and chronic, he is forced to sleep upright and cannot lie on the flat of his back. Daniel is not alone. Despite a litany of promises, there are 233 children still waiting for spinal operations that could change their lives.

Today's report must now act as a catalyst for real and meaningful change.

The Government must, of course, commit to ensuring that all of the report's recommendations are urgently implemented. The Taoiseach must account for the Government's and the Ministers' failure to act. I am aware that the chairman of the board of Children's Health Ireland, CHI, has stood down. However, in relation to the remainder of the board and the executive of CHI, has the Taoiseach confidence in them?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tá sé dochreidte an méid atá laistigh den tuarascáil seo, go raibh dochtúir ann a bhí sásta springs den saghas seo a cheadú in obráid do leanaí. Ní raibh aon cheadúnas ann. Tá sé dochreidte an méid atá tar éis tarlú. My thoughts are with the families, the three children and the trauma they have gone and are going through. It is beyond comprehension that springs which are not permitted were used in surgery. The consultant concerned used springs that were not CE marked. That is the fundamental issue here.

Then there is the culture within the hospital that facilitated that. There are procedures but they were not followed, either in the procurement of or the use of these springs or in terms of any ethical considerations. This was not put before any ethical research committee. For example, if a consultant wants to engage in innovation and research regarding techniques around particular surgeries or difficult surgeries, normally that would go through an ethics committee within the hospital. That did not happen here either.

This matter was raised in a parliamentary question to the Minister of the day by Deputy Murphy and an inquiry was established. That is why the Health Information Quality Authority, HIQA, was established. I established that many years ago to make sure there was an external independent body to investigate and to ensure quality within our healthcare setting.

Let us be very clear. I understand where the Deputy is going in terms of wanting to say it is ultimately the Government's fault. There is a limit to what anyone in this House can do in terms of how people conduct procedures in operating theatres. Let us call a spade a spade here. We can be political about these matters but there are fundamental issues here that happened and should not have happened. There has to be individual responsibility. There has to be accountability in that respect. There has to be management accountability in terms of CHI and the board and so on, why the governance procedures were not followed and why they were essentially bypassed.

All of the recommendations will be implemented. I note that the chairperson, who has been in place since 2013, has tendered his resignation. The Minister will first ensure the implementation of the different sets of recommendations for the CHI, the nine recommendations for the HSE and the one recommendation for all services providers and all hospitals throughout the country. She will also, over time, evaluate structures in regard to these issues. Equally, it has to be said that much progress has been made on the other side. No one wants to hear that today but very substantial focus has also been made on a number of fronts.

In regard to Daniel Collins, my understanding is that the clinical team is engaging with him and the family in respect of his situation. I am not at liberty to go into too much detail on that. However, it is my understanding that there is engagement with the clinical team. It will decide about the clinical decision-making around Daniel's particular case.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Dúirt an Taoiseach go bhfuil an méid atá sa tuarascáil dochreidte, ach níl sé seo fíor mar bhí a fhios ag an Rialtas agus bhí a fhios ag na tuismitheoirí an méid a bhí ar siúl i CHI. The Taoiseach said this is incredible. It is certainly shocking and deeply unacceptable but it is not incredible. This was known. Parents knew it. Advocacy groups knew it and raised, again and again, wide-ranging systemic issues around governance, a lack of management and issues around informed consent.

Deep ethical concerns were raised again and again and were ignored. Families and advocates met a brick wall. That is the truth. I do not know if the Taoiseach has studied the report in any detail but this is not simply a matter of clinical decisions made in discrete circumstances in an operating theatre. Of course, the clinicians need to be accountable. This is profound dysfunction - a pattern of it within the fabric of this organisation. The chairman of the board has resigned. Does the board and the rest of the executive need to follow him?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

If I want to be blunt about it, it actually is fundamentally about decision-making within the hospital setting and within the operating theatre. Too often within this House and across the political world, we immediately go to the political domain. There comes a time when we equally have to stand up for what is right and proper, and I know the Deputy wants to, but let us call a spade a spade here. What happened should not have happened. An individual decision was taken to use springs that should not have been used on any child. We are almost the biggest medical device manufacturer in the world and Europe. There are set procedures and quality controls over medical devices that go into any patient. The idea that one would use springs outside that entire protection framework is beyond belief and responsibility lies with the individual in the first instance.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach is missing the bigger picture.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has not read the report.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

People talk about well wishing. It is as plain as night follows day. One does not use unauthorised devices on any child. That is at the heart of it.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That is not in dispute.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

All of us send our thoughts to the families of the children whose spinal surgery was investigated by HIQA in the report. The Taoiseach has just articulated how appalling the findings are in respect of those children. It is deeply concerning to see them. The chair of the board of CHI has resigned so things are moving very swiftly. I ask for a proper debate on this in the House this week because it is such a serious matter. I express our thoughts with our colleague, Deputy Boyd Barrett, and wish him well in his treatment for cancer over the coming. Richard spoke very movingly and bravely about his diagnosis and treatment.

Already, less than a week after the Rose Garden announcement, we are seeing the potentially catastrophic effect of Trump's tariffs. These so-called reciprocal tariffs, apparently drawn up on the back of a napkin, have already created massive global uncertainty and are putting entire national economies at risk across the world. The full impact will not become clear for some time. At global level, the tit for tat has started with China and the EU will later today announce a response to the 25% steel tariffs. It is welcome to hear that whiskey, wine and dairy products will be left out to protect EU, and indeed our own, alcohol and food exports from further reprisals but the likelihood is that once the EU package is announced, Trump will hit back with more tariffs.

What is becoming clear is that this is not just about tariffs or customs barriers. Trump’s top trade adviser Peter Navarro made clear in the Financial Times yesterday that they are aiming for what they call non-tariff weapons, including EU regulations and taxes like VAT, data localisation rules and what they call "lawfare" that they allege targets US tech companies. Navarro singled out EU rules on hormone-treated meat from the US and genetically modified crops.

Can the Taoiseach offer any assurance to Irish businesses, farmers, workers and consumers in light of this imminent and ongoing threat? We know the Tánaiste will fly today to meet with Trump’s Secretary of Commerce and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is already is in the US. I thank the Taoiseach for offering a briefing with Opposition leaders later this week where I hope we will hear more about the Government's negotiating brief and how to avert the worst impact of the tariffs. There are, however, urgent questions today. Workers are facing the dreaded prospect of job losses. We are hearing already from employers, particularly in medtech and other export sectors, that contracts are being paused or cancelled due to uncertainty and that what employers and workers need is a short-term, State-backed work support scheme. Both the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, and IBEC have called for such a scheme to be put in place. ICTU has also called for sectoral industry task forces to help manage the disruption. We are talking about a targeted programme, not the broad wage subsidy scheme we had during the pandemic but, rather, a more targeted scheme to address the real impact of tariffs potentially in particular sectors. Germany has a gold standard in the Kurzarbeit scheme.

The Labour Party has been calling for such a scheme to be introduced for some time. Is the Taoiseach ruling out such a scheme or will he consider it? What reassurances can he offer those who are facing that dread prospect of potential job losses or layoffs?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

First, I want to join with the Deputy in expressing our very best wishes to Deputy Boyd Barrett as he goes through treatment. We have had many a good joust in the House-----

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Likewise.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

----- as has the Deputy, as she says - and his voice will be missed over the next couple of weeks. We wish him the very best in the treatment he is about to go through and we wish him a full recovery.

There is some distance to travel here yet on the issue of tariffs and trade wars. It is very serious and grave. The initial focus has to be on whether we can get this onto a negotiation pathway. The Deputy correctly said that issues have been raised around non-tariff barriers. The US has a list of what it perceives to be non-tariff barriers in relation to the entry of US goods - chlorinated chicken or whatever - into the European Union. Likewise, the European Union has a list of similar non-tariff barriers that impact on EU goods getting into the US. In some respects, in raising that issue there may be an opportunity in it. Europe is clear that it is willing to negotiate both the tariff issue but also non-tariff issues in respect of complaints that both sides have about the other. The European response has been a measured one designed to endeavour to get negotiations under way. Before we consider any interventions, or whatever, we must give that opportunity to negotiate in the first instance.

The European response in respect of the steel and aluminium tariffs that were imposed by the US has now been published. The earlier list is one that had been there, to be fair, in an earlier era when the older tariffs had been levied. They then had been lifted by both the Biden Administration and the EU. They were automatically published again and lifted. Now there is a new set. It takes out bourbon which is some positive news for spirits and wine and also dairy products. Of course they are still subject to tariffs and we want to get to a position where we can get zero-to-zero tariff arrangements between the European Union and the US and likewise, if we can get a negotiation pathway on non-tariff barriers and any other issues that may be out there and are out there. That is our approach so far. I spent the last week talking to multinational companies, including medtech companies, on how they see it. They broadly endorse the approach. They do not want escalation. Many of them will be impacted by this in the medium to longer term. There is no doubt that investment decisions are being paused but people are not as yet being laid off, or anything like that, in pharma or medtech.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is clear that the big hope is that there will be a negotiation pathway open. It is interesting to see the EU already saying it had previously offered to remove all tariff barriers on industrial goods and to buy more LNG from the US, but those offers were met by what was really a non-response from the US. There is a question about the extent to which there will be a response from the US. Clearly, Trump is looking for major concessions but even with those concessions it is not clear that there will be any move. Therefore, it is important for those here who are desperately worried about the potential impact down the line on their jobs, livelihoods, businesses and farms that there is some indication that the Government is now considering the measures being put in place to offer supports. We have seen other schemes in other European countries that can be adapted for particular sectors that are at risk. On Friday, however, the Taoiseach refused to endorse a short-term work scheme. The Minister for Finance spoke in similarly negative terms on Sunday. I think the Tánaiste was a little more open to the prospect of such a scheme more recently. We need to hear from the Government that it is at least considering the prospect of that sort of scheme to support people staying in their jobs and to help to keep businesses afloat.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Whatever we do has to be financially sustainable over the long term. It is just far too early to be venturing anything on that front just yet. This is not the same as Covid-19, as the Deputy has acknowledged. Therefore, our response has to be one that is sustainable, but also we must have some sense of where this is going to settle, if indeed it settles at all. I believe it will in time and we will be in a better position to evaluate what the optimal response will be. If it does not settle and this tariff war continues, that will have implications on everything, including the public finances. We have to be careful in terms of how we proceed so that anything we do is financially and economically sustainable into the future. We need resources to diversify markets. We need resources to invest more in innovation and research. There are things we can do. Investing in infrastructure, for example, is key, and so on.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett the very best in the coming weeks as he undergoes his treatment. He has been a vociferous campaigner both inside and outside this Dáil for many decades. I very much look forward to him resuming that work.

Last night, senior UN humanitarian officials released a joint statement pleading with the international community to act on Gaza. For over a month, no commercial or humanitarian supplies have entered; no food, no water and no medicine. Al-Aqsa hospital, according to one report, is a place of concentrated horror and suffering. A constant stream of ambulances rush in loaded with casualties, mostly crushed and charred bodies and dismembered children. Those children endure amputation procedures without any anaesthetics. The number of dead, injured and missing people in Gaza is now approaching 200,000. The Israeli Government is acting with impunity to maim, murder, incarcerate and torture Palestinian people. The Israeli Army is committing war crimes in the full glare of the media spotlight. On 23 March, 15 paramedics in Gaza and their ambulances disappeared. A week later, their bodies were discovered in a mass grave along with their crushed emergency vehicles. The Israeli Army claimed it opened fire on the emergency workers as their vehicles were moving suspiciously without headlights or flashing lights. Mobile phone footage recovered from one of the victims' bodies has proven that was a lie. They were slaughtered without warning on the side of the road. The lies about this massacre from the Israeli Army are blatant and grotesque and the silence from western leaders has been deafening and shameful.

As a signatory to the genocide convention, this country has a legal obligation to do whatever it can to stop genocide. Instead of searching planes at Shannon for weapons, the State is strip-searching peaceful protestors.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That is incorrect.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In just the past week, The Ditch has reported that Lufthansa illegally transported more than a tonne of munitions through Irish airspace to Israel. Facilitating supply of key components to fighter jets that are dropping bombs on Gaza is utterly reprehensible. Have reports that Lufthansa illegally transported munitions through Irish airspace been investigated by the Government? Is the Taoiseach going to act to stop these illegal transports? When is he going to enact the occupied territories Bill?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I condemn without reservation the attacks by the IDF on Gaza, the bombing and the continuing slaughter within Gaza, in particular the murder of emergency responders that the Deputy has referenced. That has been confirmed, essentially, in terms of what happened on 23 March, in terms of 15 emergency responders being murdered. I say that without hesitation. It is quite shocking that something of this kind could happen. I note that the nature of the investigation is now changing. It is absolutely unacceptable and I agree with the UN human rights chief that there must be an independent, prompt and thorough investigation into the killings and that those responsible for any violation of international law must be held to account.

Ireland has bilaterally and multilaterally repeatedly called on Israel to comply with international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law to include international humanitarian law. I have condemned the air strikes. I have always been clear about air strikes which kill innocent people and children. The number of children killed in Gaza is absolutely shocking and beyond any moral compass. The people of Gaza have endured unbelievable hardships and there should be an urgent end to all hostilities.

Hamas should stop firing rockets, should disengage and should release all hostages. Hamas has brought misery on its own people also. What Hamas did on 7 October was unforgivable and is equally to be condemned. The release of hostages could be a catalyst. There is no justification for any of this in my view. The remaining hostages should be released. What they have gone through is absolutely shocking as well. If one recalls, many of these hostages were attending concerts or were going about their daily lives and they were abducted. The level of hate across the region now is such that it is making, and will make, any potential reconciliation pathway almost impossible but we cannot give up hope. We and the international community need to focus on getting a ceasefire established and restored with a view to getting the hostages released and some pathway to peace along the lines of what the Arab nations have put together in terms of a peace pathway or process.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Taoiseach's strong condemnation. I agree that all hostages should be released immediately. I also welcome his condemnation of air strikes. However, I asked the Taoiseach about the issue at hand, which is that parts of fighter jets are being transported illegally through Irish airspace to Israel. These fighter jets are then being used to drop bombs on people in Gaza through the air strikes which the Taoiseach has rightly condemned. These are bombs on men, women and children, on paramedics and on aid workers. Is the Government investigating the reports which have been published about our airspace being used for the illegal transport of munitions to Israel? Will it act to stop these illegal transports of munitions to Israel?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will make three points in response to what Deputy O'Callaghan made reference to earlier.

On overflights, there are set regulations and legislation governing that. I will ask the Minister for Transport to again pursue the issue the Deputy has raised with regard to Lufthansa. We cannot physically stop planes but we can certainly take actions subsequently.

There are no planes landing at Shannon with weapons for Gaza. People should not be referencing that casually as if it is a fact; it is not. It is just not happening. We need to ground everything we say on truth, accuracy and precision. This line gets trotted out about Shannon Airport and Gaza wrongly and falsely.

Equally, Deputy O'Callaghan mentioned in passing about strip searching and so on. I know the Minister for Justice has pursued this with the Garda Commissioner. I have asked the Minister for Justice for the most up-to-date reports. The issue of strip searching is being strenuously denied by An Garda Síochána. From what I understand, An Garda Síochána would take strong issue with what was asserted in the House last week in respect of that. I must put that on the record.

I will pursue the first issue with regard to the overflights, which is problematic for us. People normally alert us in advance. If they do not, they are breaking the law.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The role played by some financial advisers in this State needs to be investigated immediately. The issue of financial advisers taking people's money for investments and the client getting no return for that same investment is both a local and national one. The issue has been aired on RTÉ on more than one occasion, most recently in March on RTÉ's "The Complaints Bureau", which reported on how loan notes were given to clients by financial advisers in return for their money. These loan notes then appeared to be worthless even though they are covered by the Central Bank. Constituents in my constituency, the Taoiseach's constituency and throughout the country have lost millions of euro due to these financial advisers. I will give one example from the dozens I am aware of. Over 13 years ago, a constituent of mine who sought financial advice on clearing their mortgage was advised by a financial adviser to invest their money with the same adviser, who guaranteed returns to pay back the mortgage and also to make money.

This constituent made €40,000 on an initial investment of €50,000. They subsequently reinvested €45,000 plus another €105,000 over a period of time, bringing their total investment up to €200,000. Other family members were encouraged by the financial adviser to invest their money, which they did. This brought the total family investment to €360,000. The financial adviser promised to invest the money in trusted companies. This is where the scam starts. For this person, and so many more, the company went into liquidation, leaving my constituent and many like them in financial ruin. These same financial advisers then go and set up another company and continue to take investments from other innocent honest people without paying back what they took off previous people. To date, 11 companies have been set up by this financial adviser.

I will give examples of the sums of money people have lost. People have lost €10,000, €150,000, €350,000, €450,000, €700,000 and many similar amounts. My constituent has been looking for their money back since 2021. There have been 3,800 emails back and forth between the financial adviser and the constituent but no money has been paid. Frequently, the financial adviser promises to pay back the money but the scam goes on while these advisers drive around in the same neighbourhood with top-of-the-range Range Rovers, living lavish lifestyles.

Having been given reassurances by the financial adviser that they would get their money back, my constituent went to buy a house only to be subsequently advised the money was gone. This had a devastating effect on the constituent, who started to conduct their own investigation. They discovered there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people in a similar position. Many feel isolated, ashamed and lost as to where to turn. My constituent made a complaint to the ombudsman in June 2024 and is still awaiting an outcome. The Garda fraud squad has been notified. Loan notes and companies are regulated by the Central Bank. This raises the question as to whether the Central Bank is conducting checks on companies and their indemnity. Is the Central Bank conducting checks on the people who set up these companies? Should the Central Bank now be responsible for these people's losses?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Collins very much for raising the issue, which is of grave concern to those who have been depleted of their resources. Towards the end of his contribution Deputy Collins, in some respect, provided the answer. The Central Bank is responsible for the regulation of financial advisers. I do not know whether this person was registered with the Central Bank in the first instance. Perhaps Deputy Collins might confirm this in his supplementary question. Any individual can search the Central Bank register to get a list of providers who operate in Ireland and are authorised by the Central Bank. Before anyone makes an investment they should first check the Central Bank register.

The other key protection is the consumer protection code. The Central Bank has just finalised a review of consumer protection in Ireland and the code itself. The review will come into effect in 12 months' time. It is about consumer interests, consumer rights and consumer protection. The Central Bank does issue warning notices on firms that are not authorised to provide such services and more up-to-date information on scams. We also have the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which publishes information on how to choose an adviser and the types of services and investments they can provide.

There is a broader issue of financial literacy. It has amazed me at times how people trust their money to people who do not necessarily have a track record, and they never get their money back. How people unfortunately get conned by people of this kind has always been something that amazes me, to be frank. I am not clear where the financial ombudsman is in this regard. Deputy Collins said it has been referred to the ombudsman and An Garda Síochána. These investigations should happen and should take their course. That is the right thing to do.

With regard to the Central Bank, it is responsible. If complaints have been made, the Central Bank will advise people in respect of any particular rogue investor or someone who is scamming people. Above all, the Garda should investigate, and probably is investigating this case, with a view to seeking redress and perhaps dealing with the person involved.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This scheme by the financial adviser seems similar to the Dolphin Trust, now known as German Property Group, which promised high interest payments on original investors' capital before collapsing, owing £1 billion and catching 1,800 Irish investors for €100 million. I raised this issue briefly last week in the Dáil and received an email last night from another investor who has now realised he has lost €500,000 of money he honestly invested. All of this has been going on, and for years the Central Bank seems to have been lying idly by while these advisers drive around the likes of Kinsale and set up business in Carrigaline. They are getting off scot-free and laughing at the great scams they have pulled off on these innocent people. I ask the Taoiseach to engage with the powers that be in the Central Bank and ask them to meet with a number of these innocent investors to see how these scam operators can be weeded out and these investors can have their moneys returned to them.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will indeed. I might discuss it with the Deputy if he has case studies that he can bring to our attention. I will also talk to the Minister for Finance, who I think will be happy to engage, because it is awful for this to happen to anybody. There is the old adage that if it is too good to be true, then it is too good to be true, in terms of potential returns from investments. That said, the Central Bank publishes warning notices about unauthorised firms as well as a list of them. People should only engage with registered brokers. I do not know whether this person was a registered broker. There may be an issue about who does the inspections and so on. The Deputy has raised the prospect of an inspectorial regime, but fundamentally An Garda has to pursue this.