Nearly five hours of haggling over the provisions of the new Investor Compensation Bill proved something of a stamina test for members of the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service this week.

Even the combative Fine Gael spokesman on Finance, Michael Noonan, who spent much of the time querying Minister of State, Martin Cullen, began to wilt towards the end.

When the reply to one of his questions was said to be based on legal advice from the Attorney General's office, Mr Noonanail members -fully accepted it. seemed content. "In the traditional manner, I suppose I accept the Attorney General's advice," he said.

But this came as something of a surprise to some of the Fianna Fail members, notably Liam Lawlor, who urged caution. "Maybe you should think twice about that, look where it all got us before," he said.