SEANAD REPORT:SEANAD LEADER Donie Cassidysaid he understood that the Ombudsman's report on the Lost at Seascheme had been debated in the Dáil at the behest of Fine Gael. "I have no difficulty debating that anywhere, if that is not the case, but it certainly was debated, I understand, in Dáil Éireann."
Eugene Regan, Fine Gael spokesman on justice, had earlier asked if Mr Cassidy would agree that the report should be referred to an Oireachtas committee. The scheme had been designed by a former minister to facilitate two of his constituents – "the criteria adopted to facilitate that", added Mr Regan. Paschal Mooney(FF): "That is not true."
Mr Regan: “Yet this man claims to be vindicated by this report. This is an affront to democracy, because that report was vetoed by the Government. There was no meaningful debate on it.”
Mr Regan said that Dr Maurice Hayes, a former member of the Seanad, had said the office of Ombudsman had been established by the Oireachtas and the least they could do was to respect it and also the integrity of the holder.
Dan Boyle (Greens) had said the Ombudsman’s request to have the matter referred to a committee should be respected, which was supported by John Gormley. “I believe there is a constitutional issue here, so I think the Constitution committee might just be the committee to have this referred to.”
David Norris(Ind) said it was outrageous that the ongoing industrial action by public service personnel had prevented a Minister from responding to him on an urgent matter. He had written to the Minister for Health about the plight of the Jack and Jill Foundation which had had its funding cut by almost €40,000, even though it was providing unrivalled value for money. The reply on behalf of the Minister had stated that, due to industrial action, she was not in a position to provide a substantive response to his correspondence.
It was outrageous that the Minister was incapable of dealing with this urgent matter because of industrial action.
Joining in criticism of the industrial action by staff of the Passport Office in Dublin, Mr Norris said according to broadcast accounts, those trying to get travel documents had been treated in a manner that could only be described as “completely bolshie”.
Fine Gael leader in the House Frances Fitzgeraldsaid the unions had reminded them that their members earning under €30,000 had had money taken from them while senior civil servants had had money given back to them. That was the inequitable approach that had fuelled the disruptive action.