Ombudsman: Government needs to stop hiding behind the Troika

The Ombudsman says the Government needs to stop hiding behind the Troika in the decisions they are making to cut public spending.

Emily O'Reilly said her office has also been used by the coalition to hide behind cutbacks.

She departs the job later this week for her new position of European Ombudsman.

In one of her last public engagements - to the Equality and Rights Alliance - she criticised the Government's actions.

"I know the Government understandably does I suppose to some degree hide behind the Troika and say they are forcing us to do this," she said.

"And yes the Troika is forcing Ireland to hugely cut back on public spending, but the choices are political choices

"And when we see in the newspapers the argy-bargy that is going on between Labour and Fine Gael that is precisely about that

"That is how a country makes its ethical and moral choices."