David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for her reply. What is the situation regarding the post of director of personal advocacy services, which was advertised in December 2007? It was envisaged that the director could be up and running by 2008, but was that position ever filled? I understand from a previous reply by the Minister in June 2008 that a person had been identified but that the post remained to be sanctioned. Was the person appointed? How much has the Minister's Department saved by not going ahead with the personal advocacy service? How many people were going to be appointed to the service initially? Is the Minister now telling us that the Citizens Information Act, which we passed in 2007, is more or less defunct? Is she going down a different route, using advocacy resources officers through the citizens information service instead?

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