Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is telling me he has an open mind on the issue. I am trying to read the tea leaves. I take from what he said that he sees the good sense in proposing that the prisons, asylum seekers, refugees and those seeking naturalisation be included within the ambit of the Ombudsman. I am still at a loss as to why, having extended the scope of the office so broadly, the Minister would shield these particular areas from the remit of the Ombudsman. For many of those involved in the asylum process, the system is wholly inadequate and, in some respects, disgraceful. I refer, in particular, to the system of direct provision, on which the Government has made commitments that have not yet been met. For those within the prison system, many of whom are Irish citizens, this sends a message that the light will not shine on whatever complaints are made. The Minister has said he envisages an alternative statutory route being taken to address complaints in the prison system. Why do this? He is all for streamlining, working smarter and doing more with less. Why is that not the case in this regard?

See this speech in context