Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces was established under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004. On 19 September 2005, Ms Paulyn Marrinan-Quinn SC was appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Government, as the first Ombudsman for the Defence Forces.

The function of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces is to act as the ultimate point of appeal for an administrative investigation into complaints made by members, and former members, of the Defence Forces against another member, former member or civil servant of the Department of Defence. The Ombudsman for the Defence Forces may investigate a complaint in respect of an action or decision, which may have adversely affected the complainant personally. The action or decision complained of must have occurred no earlier than 1 December 2005.

As I mentioned in my speech to the 2006 annual PDFORRA conference, to date, the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces has sent me 12 reports on individual cases relating to the PDF with which she has dealt. I have either responded to or I am in the process of responding to the ombudsman in respect of each of these reports. The Minister for Defence is obliged to inform the ombudsman of the measures taken or proposed in response to her recommendation.

The Ombudsman for the Defence Forces is, in accordance with the Act, independent in the performance of her duties. She is required to report annually to the Dáil. In these circumstances, I do not consider it appropriate for me to report on her behalf or give details as regards her reports on individual cases, complaints already submitted to the ombudsman, the status of those complaints or her current treatment of those cases.

I am happy to inform the Deputy that the primary focus in these cases has been on selection for promotion, courses and overseas service. I can also indicate that the reports of the ombudsman have made a valuable contribution to the ongoing updating of selection procedures in these three areas.

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