Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With all due respect, a Chathaoirligh, I believe the issue is more fundamental. What is at issue is whether Departments respect the role of the Office of the Ombudsman and the rule of law. There are obvious issues relating to the specific cases that have been taken. We are calling in the HSE, departmental officials and the Minister to deal with those specific cases. From what we have heard from the Ombudsman and from An Coimisinéir Teanga, however, there is a broader issue. The culture in Departments is that they seem to think that they can chose à la carte and enforce whatever rulings they like from the Ombudsman. That is a fundamental issue on which we need to focus.