Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the agencies or bodies his Department provides funding to or is administratively responsible for, and those agencies and bodies that his Department is responsible for in respect of Government policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39418/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The five statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Pensions Board, the Combat Poverty Agency, Comhairle, the Social Welfare Tribunal and the Family Support Agency. In addition, the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of my Department. Responsibility for replying to parliamentary questions about the above mentioned bodies comes within the remit of my Department. However, the Pensions Ombudsman is independent in the performance of his duties and his decisions are binding and are only appealable to the High Court. In the circumstances, it is not appropriate for my Department to answer questions about investigations being undertaken or decided on by the Pensions Ombudsman.