Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Senator is obviously passionate but he is undermining his own case. He is quoting from the inspector's report which highlights the things he claims are being suppressed. The report and the actions of the Office of the inspector of prisons have ventilated the problems. The system is working. It will be strengthened and it will be put on a structured, statutory basis with timelines such that nothing can be suppressed.

We have a different Minister for Justice and Equality now who has acted by empowering the Ombudsman for Children in respect of St. Patrick's Institution. The Minister has promised reforming legislation in both the areas to which Senator Ó Clochartaigh has referred. I call on him to take on his role as a member of the oversight committee, examine the legislation, including the immigration and naturalisation Bill and the prisons oversight Bill when they come before the Houses. Ultimately if that legislation is not robust enough we will address the matter again. I am not keen on a situation in which by popular acceptance, the office of the inspector of prisons could investigate complaints when there is another body empowered to do the same business. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and the Ombudsman do not carry out the same job. We do not have two people carrying out the same set of investigations at the same time. That is the logic of the argument put to me and it is compelling. We should let the office of the inspector of prisons which is manifestly effective, do the job, rearmed and reinvigorated by more forceful legislation. I have already said that if that does not prove to be effective we will return to it.