Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our two witnesses and I have two quick questions. It sounds from Ms Justice Ring's comments that we may be getting a request for additional resources for some offices. We may be a helpful channel in getting those resources where they are needed. The point is well made, and if people are to interact through online communications, the offices need to have the supports to back up such processes and deal with them correctly.

Throughout the course of this meeting there has been a good case made for us to retake an official direct role and responsibility relating to the various ombudsperson offices. It was well made before this session but this has clarified why it is necessary. With the six offices there, just dealing with annual reports would probably be a quarter of our work programme if we decided to take that on. There is also the role of scrutinising legislation, and it is a good idea for us to do that if we are to do this properly.

Mr. Tyndall has touched on another element and I will ask him to elaborate on it. He mentioned that more oversight of international ombudspersons is required. How does he see that being done with regard to this committee? The accountability of European institutions to this Oireachtas in the past has been quite poor. I am thinking of the banking inquiry and the refusal of certain persons to attend it. How would interaction take place with the European Ombudsman, for example, if that is what Mr. Tyndall meant?