Ombudsman disputes Fahey’s evidence

THE Ombudsman has disputed evidence given by former minister and Fianna Fáil backbench TD Frank Fahey to an Oireachtas committee in the latest development in a stand-off between the Government and the watchdog’s office.

The Irish Examiner understands that Emily O’Reilly has taken the unusual step of writing to the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries expressing concerns over the accuracy of evidence given by the Galway West TD on his handling of a grant scheme for fishermen when he was Marine Minister in 2001.

The committee is examining a report by the Ombudsman on the Lost at Sea scheme, carried out on foot of a complaint from the Byrne family in Donegal who lost family members at sea and claimed they were unfairly denied compensation.