Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. We have had the further look. The spirit of the legislation was clear to anybody who sat through the debate on it. I sat through it on this side and the other side of the House prior to 11 months ago when I was a member of the committee. We want the Ombudsman to look at this. It is very clear. It is a matter for the Ombudsman to do so. I respectfully put it to the committee that we do not believe there is more we can do. We believe it is a matter for the Ombudsman to use his discretion, which he is allowed to do, to investigate these matters. The view of everybody on the committee, going back to last year, was that these would be allowable and investigable by the Ombudsman. That is very clear in my mind from when I moved to this side of the committee addressing the Members and also, when I was a member of the committee, being addressed to by other members of Government. The spirit of the legislation is very clear. I do not believe we can do any more.