There was a process in place... i.e. you had to fill in a form, post it with payment and wait for the result to be posted to you... similar to FOI requests. Most potential irate/vexatious applicants woulld probably think better of it once they calm down and/or realise there's a paper trail. Similar to the way Gardai will often tell folk wanting to complain about or report things they're wound up about to come back in the morning...