Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was not personalising, and I think the Minister realises that. I accept that there are systems in place and that the Minister has to trust in the systems, or else he or she undermines the system. There is a system under the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces. However, it is not unfair to say that the ombudsman has been undermined, not by the Minister but by this whole saga, and, ultimately, the WRC ruling.

I have been around the courts a little in a professional capacity as well as, unfortunately, in a personal one, and various appeal stages change a decision. Nobody has a monopoly on wisdom and nobody gets every decision right all the time but there has to be a Ombudsman for the Defence Forces that people have confidence in. That confidence could be undermined at least by what went on up to now. There has to be a process that people feel that they will get a fair hearing from.

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