O’Reilly voices ire at record on rights

Departing ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has slammed the Government’s record on human rights and equality, accusing ministers of cowardice on funding decisions.

Ms O’Reilly, who leaves her post next month after 10 years as the watchdog over public bodies to become European ombudsman, said she could not even raise the subject of human rights with ministers and officials.

Comparing the subject with the effort it took to get children to eat vegetables, she said she had to cut it up into small pieces, cover it with sugar or ketchup, and present it to them without making it obvious what was on the plate. “Just don’t tell them what we are doing is human rights,” she said.