Mr. Paul Kenny:

I hope the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman meets public expectations. We would all like to be financed independently of the Government, but as things stand I am not; I receive my grant-in-aid from the Department of Social Protection. However, I must say, in fairness to the Ministers and officials I have dealt with, there has never been a hint of an attempt to interfere with how my office functions. I give full credit for this and hope it will always be the case.

Regarding appointments, I was initially appointed through the Public Appointments Service and was reappointed by Ministers. The former Minister Mary Coughlan gave the Public Appointments Service the job of finding an ombudsman. Other ombudsmen may be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a Minister or Cabinet. I think the Children's Ombudsman was appointed through the Public Appointments Service, but children participated in the process.

The governance principles of the Ombudsman Association - independence, integrity, accessibility and so on - should apply to all ombudsmen. It is important that these principles are applicable, though changes might be required in the appointment process and terms of office. I think a fixed minimum term is a good idea, and the Ombudsman Association states in its documentation that a minimum term of five years should be recommended.