Martin back in firing line over nursing home fiasco

MINISTER Micheál Martin’s efforts to shake off the nursing home charges controversy suffered a serious setback yesterday when a former ombudsman excoriated the Oireachtas committee that cleared him of responsibility.

Ex-ombudsman Kevin Murphy also strongly questioned Tánaiste Mary Harney’s position that the blame for “systemic maladministration” in the Department of Health lay with civil servants alone.

Last night it was also being interpreted as a strong rejection of Mr Martin’s refusal to accept any political responsibility for the scandal.