Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I commend the commitment of Members in both Houses who were on the Curtin investigation team. Everybody knows how diligently they approached their task. However, they were up against it, particularly in view of the earlier court decision to acquit the defendant and the very able team that he retained, which included a former Attorney General. Written guarantees regarding personal integrity are also enshrined in the Constitution. I congratulate the committee members; perhaps, as has been suggested, there is a more important task that might suitably be entrusted to them by the Oireachtas.

Regarding the matter raised by Senator Ryan, I too felt that the decision made by one of Ireland's major financial institutions was most unfortunate. Given what we are trying to inculcate in people and the great deficiencies in pension provision in this country, it is frightful that such a major financial institution should yellow-pack its staff and deny people their pension entitlements.