Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Ombudsman said she made a recommendation which was rejected by a Department. This is highly unusual. It happened on only one previous occasion, when the issue was resolved by an Oireachtas committee. We ask that the same procedure apply and that the matter be dealt with by the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. For some reason, the Government does not want that to be done.

The Minister for Transport suggested that the Opposition move the motion in Private Members' Time. If we do that the issue, inevitably, will be politicised and that is not in anyone's interest. I ask the Minister to reconsider my request. A motion in the name of Deputy Seán Sherlock proposes that the matter be referred to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. I ask the Government to reconsider its position on this motion. I will raise this matter again next week. If the Government does not accede to our request the issue will become a partisan one.

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