Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Many of these cases have been around for more than ten years, and some for 20 years. I have made clear that they are cases for which, in many ways, nobody else has ever found a solution to the satisfaction of the complainants. This is the first time a Government has taken this number of cases that have been on the desks of Deputies or have been of concern and, if one likes, has gathered them together and referred them to an independent process. It is completely independent, as the panel is taking the cases for some of which there are volumes of files. The panel members have examined them thoroughly in an independent manner to ascertain whether there is any further legal or administrative action that can be taken. This is the reason for the review mechanism. It is extremely time-consuming, and I made the decision to await the comprehensive result from the review mechanism. However, as I stated, after Easter I will start to examine the recommendations that have come to the Department, and I will write to the people involved in each of the cases. I note it will be quite a job even to craft a response. We will get the file with the recommendations. I imagine there will be an analysis of the cases, and it will be quite a job to pull together the detail and the recommendations and make sure that in the Department's response to each individual case the recommendations made are dealt with comprehensively. However, the Deputy should reassure anyone with whom he is in touch that this will happen after Easter. I certainly can put something into the public arena to make clear that this is what is happening. After Easter, the people concerned will begin to hear of individual cases that have been referred. The entire process is not yet complete, as cases remain outstanding, but the panel is working on them. Nevertheless, at this point I believe I should begin to give information to individual complainants.

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