Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate what the Minister has said. However, it would be a mistake to give the Minister the space to think about it because he will need that role for the Ombudsman. For example, if the Minister for Justice and Equality sets up a redress agency for the Irish Prison Service and the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, there will still be a role for the Ombudsman in overseeing the agency as there could be issues relating to people who have been through the system who need to have redress to the Ombudsman. Surely, the role of Ombudsman is to oversee and have that independent viewpoint.

I am concerned at the speed at which the other legislation will come through and how quickly those agencies would be set up. I have visited a direct provision centre in Galway. It is a difficult situation for the people there. In opposition, the Minister was critical of the direct provision model and it was to be scrapped within six months. Some 18 months in, there is no change and we are still awaiting legislation. The people who spoke to me and who are in that limbo say that every day that goes by is another day too long to deal with the situation. The Irish Refugee Council has highlighted that many people there have issues and they want them redressed. They do not have citizenship which makes it much more difficult for them to find redress. The Minister mentioned the six-month horizon. Even if the legislation is passed there will be a six-month lacuna. I hope there will be movement before then in, say, three months or less. They will still wait a long time. From a human perspective, that is extremely difficult for them. I ask the Minister to reconsider the amendment and, perhaps, discuss the matter with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter. Even if what he says will be put in place, it will take too long and there will still be a need for a role for the Ombudsman.

The Minister did not answer my question as to what the Ombudsman thinks. Is she agreeable?