Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Even though it is legal now.

I compliment the handlers of FBD insurance who challenged a claim for a couple who knew each other, crashed into each other and claimed approximately €15,000 each. The case was exposed through Facebook. It highlights and exposes the point I made yesterday in respect of alleged fraudulent cases. The Injuries Board is too quick to settle without questioning the details and the insurance company is afraid to go to court because the courts award enormous damages in addition to the cost of solicitors and barristers.

I also compliment An Garda Síochána, particularly Detective Superintendent Dave Dowling, for exposing 1,000 sham weddings. Clients paid between €15,000 and €20,000 to have these sham marriages arranged. There were eight swoops in the Cathaoirleach’s county, Mayo, four in Louth, three in Kildare, two each in Longford and Limerick and one each in Meath and Cork. Marriage registrars should be more diligent in exposing these sham weddings. There are over 1,000 applications which are being challenged. It is a very serious abuse of the EU treaty rights. It is only fair to commend An Garda Síochána’s work and to ask it to brief the marriage registrars who should brief their staff on how to detect this serious abuse of marriage. The couples do not even have to consummate the marriages. People pay €15,000, get a bride and gain access to the EU. It is about time it was exposed in this country.