Time to bring in stricter controls on auctioneering

NOW that the lid has been removed from simmering concerns over auctioneering activities, a clean-up must follow, including more stringent regulations to protect the vulnerable public, including farmers.

The allegations of property dealings corruption contained in the RTE Prime Time programme will have opened the eyes of farmers who have a lot of business contact with auctioneers. Some auctioneers may dismiss the findings and suggest alleged irregularities were isolated incidences which should not have occurred, but were not representative of their sector.

But the alternative, widely expressed view is that the investigation only scratched the surface of unacceptable practices which have been rife within auctioneering for a long time. The jury is still out as to which side is right. But the admission by some of the parties that “errors” did occur is worrying for the public and for farmers.