Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Perhaps this question might be more appropriate for the Secretary General or an official in the Department. Perhaps the Secretary General of the Department might bring together the other Secretaries General and the key players identified in the report to deal with the issues highlighted every year. As the chief managers of the public service, they could consider putting a system in place to address these points in order that they will not continue to recur. There is no point in having a list of 20 cases every year and specifically highlighting when the Ombudsman helps people.

Will the Minister consider talking to the Department of Health? A section of the report, on page 15, deals with non-compliance with a recommendation of the Ombudsman. The Department of Health accepted the recommendation that the mobility allowance scheme was not in accordance with the Equal Status Act. The Ombudsman gives details of how it discriminates on the basis of age. The Department stated it would deal with the matter within six months, but it has still not dealt with it. The Ombudsman must include the matter again in the annual report. I ask the Minister to tell public servants who have had findings made against them to either accept the findings made or explain why they do not accept them.

See this speech in context