Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Ombudsman and thank her, and particularly her staff, for all their help. I have raised many issues with the office over the years. I recall particularly a change made to the carer's allowance, which was a very restrictive scheme when it was introduced, and also issues relating to local authorities such as raising a road which was perhaps desirable but caused flooding in individual houses or a number of houses.

I apologise that I must leave to go to the Dáil to chair a session but my brief question is on resources. This is my first meeting of this committee, therefore, this question is for the Chairman as well as for the director. Regarding engaging with people, whether it is this committee meeting with groups in regional meetings - the Ombudsman's office has had regional meetings also in the past and it is something I would welcome for the future - with all the technology available it is still important to meet people who have an issue. There is a host of issues which I will not raise now but some of them have been raised by my colleagues and by the Ombudsman. Does the Ombudsman envisage that this consultation will continue? Information meetings have been very useful in the past and I hope they will be useful in the future.