I accept that. I accept the independence of the Ombudsman, even if I do not understand the conclusions of this report. I fully accept that there was no compensation involved in the scheme, yet one of the recommendations is to give compensation.

The real issue is the fact that former Deputy Jim Higgins acted in the way he did. He took his own interpretation of the Lost at Sea scheme and he did not check any of the facts, but then sent it on to the Ombudsman for investigation. I fear that much of this non-factual information was believed. I wonder if the former Deputy was the problem, because as far as I can see, the Byrne family in Donegal were misled by Jim Higgins MEP to the point-----

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