Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am doing so. The authors of the report claim that the sustained and prolonged restriction of human rights and civil liberties inherent in the direct provision system amount to child abuse. These are very serious allegations based on numerous complaints. The Ombudsman has said that the people who made those types of complaints, which have been catalogued by the Irish Refugee Council, should be able to make their complaints to her office and she should be able to investigate them. My reading of the Bill as it stands - and I hope the Minister will clarify this - is that she will not have jurisdiction over these issues. She will not have jurisdiction over the administration of law relating to immigration or naturalisation. If that is the case, it is a very sad day and would represent a retrograde step and a reason for us not to support the Bill. One of the most important things that we must do, as Senator Barrett has said, is to open up the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman. Any organisation or State agency which is receiving money or delivering a service to the citizens should be open to those citizens being able to have redress if they felt they have not been treated properly.