Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

I am coming to that report. I have studied it very closely. The Ombudsman is a very important and respected official in this State. However, as I stated before, that does not make her infallible. The Ombudsman can be wrong and I believe that, in this report, she is badly wrong. I am entitled to say that. She was badly wrong in the report she issued recently on the health issue. Anybody who listened to the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, during a television debate at the time in question will have heard that report soundly rebuffed. Everybody would have to concede that. Let us be clear that we are not talking about angels; we are all human and all can err. The Ombudsman has erred in her report. This is my view and I am entitled to it.

The lost at sea scheme was devised to help people with business problems on foot of tragedies at sea and to get those businesses back into operation. It was not about compensation per se. There had to be a cut-off date. Senator Regan, being a legal man, will know that a cut-off date must be honoured. If it is not honoured, it opens up every scheme introduced or to be introduced by a Government to post hoc appeals. In such circumstances, late applicants could ask that a scheme be reopened.