More than 100 new companies were registered to a family home in Dublin in recent weeks. They were set up without the knowledge or permission of the home owner, he told the Irish Independent.

The owner of the house in Rathfarnham expressed shock when contacted this week.

He lives at the property with his family. The name of a tenant who rents a room in the house is used extensively across all the filings, but they are not a director or secretary of the firms.

The details, uncovered during an investigation by this newspaper, appear to highlight major weaknesses in Ireland’s regime for setting up companies.

These issues could leave it open to abuse and exploitation by potential fraudsters. The Companies Registration Office (CRO) admitted its registration system relies on the “good faith” of filers.

The homeowner says he was totally unaware any companies had been registered until he was approached about the unusual activity by the Irish Independent.