Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We aspire to keep the highest standards and we must do that in all professions. Some differ, however. We live in a changing world. False allegations can be made and false evidence used to back them up. Modern technology makes that possible. We need to weigh that possibility against the need to achieve the highest possible standards while giving the individual at the eye of the storm his or her constitutional rights and entitlements. That is a serious issue. If someone is banished into the darkness for a sin. There can be serious professional consequences. Different professions deal differently with these things. Some allow things to wither on the vine, where an issue may be ongoing for years and the professional involved has no future. They are afraid about the extent to which they may have to involve themselves in the cost of going to higher courts and so on. This is an issue on which we must keep a close eye and if possible make a provision whereby the individuals rights are not ignored.