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

I refer to the issue of impartiality. If a person makes a genuine complaint, he or she has a right to be able to depend on the issue raised being dealt with impartially. The guidelines and regulations may change this. Guidelines are not much good because they are only guidelines. In the case of statutory guidelines or orders, it is somewhat different. We have all dealt with cases on reporting a matter by way of a parliamentary question where complainants know, and can point out quickly, why a certain answer was given. They have said it was because of A, B and C, which in turn suggests they did not consider the case was dealt with impartially. How do the witnesses feel about the impartiality of the current or required structures? Do they consider they are reliable?