Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not have that comprehensive information available to me tonight but I will get more information for the Deputy on it. I would refer to an example that is in the public domain. It is in respect of Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin who I have met on two occasions and am in contact with. The way she was treated was absolutely disgraceful. To get to the core of the Deputy's question, it is clear that in all cases they have not been dealt with properly, and Dr. Ní Shúilleabháin's case is an example. What we need to do as policy makers and legislators, and what I need to do as a Minister, is use that example to help bring about the cultural change that needs to be brought about. My instinct is that we cannot deal with all of these issues as human resources, HR, matters. They are not HR matters. There are not two sides to a sexual harassment issue. It is not some sort of petty disagreement. It is a potential criminal offence. It is criminal wrongdoing. The way some of the institutions have dealt with these issues is quite concerning. That is one case we all know about because Dr. Ní Shúilleabháin spoke about it publicly, and we thank her very much for doing that. That has to be a real impetus to help bring about the sort of change the Deputy is talking about.

See this speech in context