Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join other members of the committee in welcoming Mr. Tyndall, the Ombudsman-designate.

Are there significant differences between the legislative remit of the Irish and Welsh offices? Is there any agreement or benchmarking arrangement between the Ombudsman’s office and Departments and State agencies on dealing with repeat complaints? How adequate are the office’s powers for dealing with the failurea of Departments and State agencies? Not being tongue-in-cheek, in cases in which political representations are being made on specific areas that are vexatious, costly and time-wasting, is there provision in the Ombudsman legislation for a State agency or Department to make a reverse complaint? With the debate on the reform of the Houses of the Oireachtas, there are trenchant critics of political clientelism and the costs it imposes on Departments and State agencies. As a matter of interest, could a Secretary General lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman’s office if his or her Department received vexatious complaints from a Member of the Oireachtas?