Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 55 together.

In accordance with the terms of the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004, the fifth annual report of the Ombudsman was laid before each House of the Oireachtas on 21 June 2011. The report shows a welcome drop in the number of complaints currently lodged with the Ombudsman, down from 229 in 2008 to 116 in 2010.

The Ombudsman's report notes that there were delays in 2010 in responding to the final reports of the Ombudsman with 19 cases awaiting attention at the end of the year. I am advised that the delay was largely due to the complexity of the complaints and competing priorities within the unit dealing with the reports. However, I am pleased to confirm that a final determination has been issued to the Ombudsman in respect of all these outstanding cases. I engaged when appointed Minister in ensuring that the cases that had accumulated and needed to be dealt with were addressed with some speed and I am confident that final reports submitted by the Ombudsman during 2011 will be considered within the earliest timeframe. In that regard, procedures to prioritise the processing of Ombudsman for the Defence Forces final reports have been put in place by both the Defence Forces and the Department.

Since the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman in 2005, a number of human resource procedures have been reviewed and revised following recommendations from the Ombudsman in her final reports, for example, the selection processes for career courses and overseas service. In addition, the recommendations of the Ombudsman have informed the development of a new promotions scheme, which is near finalisation, as part of the commitments under the Croke Park agreement. Almost 50% of all complaints arise from administrative issues in the promotion system and the new scheme is designed to resolve these issues. A standing committee on human resource issues also reviews the implementation of systemic recommendations from the Ombudsman on a monthly basis. While dealing with the individual grievances referred to in her reports, the reports are also used to inform the ongoing development of best practice in human resource management for the Defence Forces.

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