Gilmore accuses Government of axing watchdogs who champion citizen rights

THE Government has been accused of systematically dismantling public watchdogs after the Ombudsman claimed health chiefs refused to co-operate with an investigation.

Emily O’Reilly claimed the Department of Health laid a raft of charges against her over her latest probe into 1,200 complaints over nursing home fees.

It revealed older people’s rights were abused over four decades because of a lack of state-funded beds.

Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said: “Systematically, your Government has been slaughtering the watchdogs that exist to stand up for the rights of individual citizens.

“You’ve dismantled the Freedom of Information Act. You’ve forced the resignation of the chief executive of the Equality Authority (Niall Crowley).

“You abolished the Combat Poverty Agency and this is the second time within a very short period of time where your Government has sought to undermine the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman.”

The Ombudsman lashed the Department of Health and Health Service Executive (HSE) for fighting long, drawn-out lawsuits against older people who believed they were wrongly charged for nursing home care.

More than 1,200 elderly people complained to the Ombudsman’s office, which accused the Government and health chiefs of having an unacceptable disregard for the law.

But defending the Government, Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the Dáil that the case examined in Ms O’Reilly’s report was being dealt with by the courts, which was outside her remit. He said the department was entitled to put forward its case, which “doesn’t undermine anyone”.

“There was no question of not co-operating,” he said.