Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That sort of question is probably more appropriate to the Ombudsman himself in terms of what he sees as being appropriate to his role and what he envisages doing in the course of 2015. There is a significant increase in the money because of the new legislative responsibilities that the Oireachtas is giving to the Office of the Ombudsman. In specific terms, this covers the full-year cost of additional posts sanctioned for the implementation of the register of lobbying legislation, which we anticipate will be enacted shortly; three sanctioned posts at principal officer level - a legal adviser, a head of IT and a registrar of lobbyists - that must be filled this year; two sanctioned assistant principal posts for the Office of the Information Commissioner, OIC; and three executive officer posts arising out of the additional bodies that came under the Ombudsman's remit, as referenced by Deputy Fleming. Money will also be provided for some consultancy work that the Ombudsman wants to carry out in respect of the development of a register of lobbyists during the course of this year.

I do not know whether the Deputy is interested in the salaries or staffing cohort of the Office of the Ombudsman, but I can quickly give him the details now or provide them in written form.