Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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369. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason a person (details supplied) has been appointed to a role representing complaint handler and associate members at the Ombudsman Association given the judgment in a case (details supplied) and given the five separate cases of misconduct by her before the High Court. [14639/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Ombudsman Association is a professional association for ombudsmen and complaint handlers across Ireland and the UK, their staff and others interested in the work of independent complaint resolution. It is neither a complaint-handling nor an advice body, and cannot give the public any advice other than to signpost to an appropriate ombudsman or complaint handling scheme, where applicable.

The Association can give general information about ombudsmen, but not specific information about member schemes. Although ombudsman members have to fulfil certain criteria for membership, the Association is one which ombudsman schemes join entirely voluntarily, and its purpose is to promote the general concept of ombudsmen, as well as to organise networking opportunities for ombudsmen and staff through conferences, seminars and meetings. The Association therefore has no role in the internal workings of member schemes nor any influence or jurisdiction over them.  Furthermore, representatives on the Ombudsman Association Executive Committee are elected democratically by the relevant members of the Association. I have been advised that in this instance, the person in question was elected at the AGM of the Association by Complaint Handler and Associate Members from both Ireland and the UK. Given that this is an independent Association, my Department cannot comment on appointments made.