The Garda fraud squad investigation into allegations against financial institutions has now received more than 400 complaints. Investigations have been completed in approximately 100 cases. No breaches of the criminal law have been found so far, said Chief Supt Frank Glacken.

The series of spot-checks launched by the Director of Consumer Affairs, Mr William Fagan, has now ended and no evidence of systematic overcharging by any of the financial institutions visited has been uncovered.

The director is to meet early next week with staff from the accountancy firm, BDO Simpson Xavier, who worked with the director's office during the examination of banks' charging systems, to review the data collected. He is also to seek a meeting with the Irish Bankers' Federation to discuss a number of issues, including penalty charges applied by a number of banks.

The director's office had received approximately 60 complaints from the general public since the banking controversy began and these would now be examined, Mr Fagan said.