Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have heard about the heavy-handed behaviour of officials and what was described by some people as a very ignorant approach towards different individuals, including pregnant women. We have heard of a very aggressive approach, with complaints being made about the ill-treatment of animals in the aggressive way in which those animals were tested. Allegations were made of entry into premises that was dramatic, forceful and obnoxious.

We do not have the scope here to go through each individual case, although if it now seems that the Department can test the detail of these allegations so energetically, it should really have submitted a point-by-point rebuttal to us in advance. I assume it will do so. Without going through all the details, we can say that at least in Mr. Fannin's case, the judge agreed that the officials had been heavy-handed.