Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I am glad to have a few minutes to speak to this important motion and to commend the work that has been done in caring for the elderly and the improvement in recent years. I was a bit alarmed by the debate between the Ombudsman and the HSE. We do not have to believe the Ombudsman is God and that everything she says is perfect. I understand there was great communication between her, her office, the Minister for Health and Children and the Minister's office. Little would separate them, but there was certainly no conspiracy to keep information from the Ombudsman or to shut her out. The Minister needed to take legal advice, as any Minister would, and I understand she followed the Attorney General's advice.

I wish to take the opportunity to discuss a facility in my town, Loughloe House, which Deputy Reilly visited some time ago. He did not tell me he was coming. Otherwise I would have laid out the red carpet.

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