Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that and I will take up that offer from the Minister. This is a serious issue and not an isolated one. It is part of a broader concern. We are familiar with this legislation. I believe it was pushed, to a certain extent, to catch up with my own legislation at the time. It may have been slightly rushed. I think there is an issue with what is in the Act. Let us look, however, at the case and see how that applies. I am also conscious that the ombudsman’s office is under significant pressure. I hope it has the resources to help it deal with the cases before it. We learned last week, through a parliamentary question, that it has 1,200 tracker mortgage cases to deal with. About half of those cases are live and the other half are awaiting the outcome of an independent appeals process. That will put a huge burden on the office of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, given the number of cases to be dealt with at one time. I will give the details of this case to the Minister. If this is going to be the approach of the ombudsman’s office to cases, then I am concerned. Legitimate claims to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman may be frustrated.

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