Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The IHRB has pointed out that its work is very intelligence led and in some respects that is understandable. However, it may be an operational flaw in that the IHRB depends on legislation. I was struck by one of the points made by Dr. Hillyer in terms of who is identified with testing. So if somebody has a better track record or if they have been tested before and seem to be doing okay then they are less likely to get more frequent testing.

I appreciate Dr. Hillyer is relatively new to her role and that the IHRB is an organisation that is very much in an evolutionary mode. Does she see a phase where we will reach a certain point? It is always good to have intelligence and it is important that we encourage whistleblowers. Does she envisage we will have reached utopia when we have a structured situation whereby anybody at any time is at risk of an inspection? I do not mean that people should live in fear but they should aspire to knowing that if they get an inspection, it will be head and shoulders above the rest.