Ombudsman to get oversight over another 140 public bodies

An additional 140 public bodies are to be brought under the remit of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Under the Ombudsman Amendment Act, which passed its final stage in the Dáil yesterday, the Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, will have the power to investigate the VECs, higher education institutions and a range of other bodies whose administrative actions have not previously been subject to investigation.

These organisations include the National Roads Authority, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the Courts Service, Fás, the enterprise agencies, the Irish Medical Council, the National Consumer Agency, and other state bodies which conduct activities the daily lives of citizens.

Ms O’Reilly welcomed the changes which she said had been promised for many years.

She also said she would like the powers of the office to be extended to include prisons and bodies dealing with asylum and immigration.

“There have been numerous calls over the decades, including from the UN, for the protection afforded by my office to be extended to these areas.

“The Department of Justice has always resisted this level of oversight and what has happened now is that Alan Shatter, the minister for justice, has promised that in new legislation that level of oversight will be brought in.

“What I said to the Oireachtas a few weeks ago is that, if when that oversight is brought in, and they judge that it isn’t up to the standard of independent oversight that might be afforded by my office, then they will need to review that.”

Brendan Howlin, the minister for public expenditure and reform, said the new powers were the most significant expansion in the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman in the 30 years since the office was set up.

“The major expansion in access for members of the public to the ombudsman would be expected to further strengthen the standing of the citizen in their dealing with public bodies, ensuring that fair treatment is always provided, as well as improving the quality of decision-making and increasing accountability.”