Ms Emily O'Reilly:

Yes, I agree. I thank the Deputy for noting the personal element in any of these issues and it is something I have always taken on board in my work. Sometimes we can get blinded by technology and many people, particularly older people, have felt further ostracised from the apparatus of the State by having to negotiate IT to get through to it.

Staff from my office continue to conduct regional visits around the country. We think this is very important and that they should continue, even if increasing numbers of people are contacting us through e-mail, the Internet and so on. As for the purpose of this office, one of its functions is to continue to show a human face, that is, for someone to actually sit down and listen to people. That is still a vital function. We also try to make our services as accessible as possible. People can write to us on the back of an envelope, ring us or come in to us. We try not to be bureaucratic in this regard. Thereafter, once an investigator is working on a case, they can communicate with him or her freely also.