Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is important legislation and I must acknowledge its genesis is in the term of office of the former Government. It is reforming legislation and I pay tribute to my predecessor for introducing it. It was passed in this House in 2010 and restored to the Order Paper. Since my Department was established, I have been involved in discussions with the Ombudsman to seek to broaden the scope of the Bill. That is why we are dealing with amendments from the Seanad.

Seanad amendment No. 1 is a technical amendment which provides that the Bill will commences on the date of enactment, save in respect of its application to any body which is not subject to the Ombudsman Act 1980 immediately prior to its enactment. In respect of such bodies, it will commence six months from the date of enactment or an earlier date that I may specify by order.

I have had discussions with all the agencies in question, some 140 bodies, which will be brought under the Ombudsman legislation. I have also spoken to the Ombudsman’s office which has linkages to make with these entities. This will take some time and it will not be possible to do it immediately. Six months is the standard time for enactment provisions. The additional bodies will be brought under the legislation as soon as it is practicable to do so and I get word from the Ombudsman and the entity involved that it is appropriate to do so.

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