Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Cathaoirleach letting me speak this afternoon. I want to report a new form of cyberattack that is taking place. I have just been the subject of one. I got a message from AIB on the AIB telephone number this morning, telling me that my card had been used in Manchester and asking me to log on and put my details through. After I looked at the first page, I said that it was not right and rang AIB's fraud department. It is a fraudulent text message, which is going out all over the place. It looks and feels as if it came from AIB. I have been told that it has reset all my security settings and to expect phone calls over the coming days from AIB's fraud department, checking up to update my details and ask me for personal details. I am likely to have a caller to my house, looking for me to hand over my card, as fraud has taken place with my card. The public really needs to know this. The banks have to step up and start making these things very public when they happen. They have to stop hiding behind it and instead let people know as quickly as they can.

I know the Acting Leader has an interest in the military service allowance for soldiers who served for years and retired. I have a letter here from a retired commandant who is 78 years old. He was denied his allowance because a deal was done back in 1990 that cut off entitlement to the allowance and one's pension prior to that date. The Acting Leader and I might raise this together, because I know she has an interest in this herself. We might get to the bottom of it and resolve it. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his forbearance.