Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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189. To ask the Minister for Finance when the merger of the Financial Services Ombudsman and Pensions Ombudsman will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22430/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Department is progressing the development of the legislation to underpin the amalgamation of the Financial Service Ombudsman and the Pensions Ombudsman. The previous Government agreed outline Heads of a Bill to provide for the amalgamation of offices in May of 2015 and both offices have already been physically merged in one location. Recent legislative changes have enabled the appointment of the Financial Services Ombudsman as Pensions Ombudsman.

As the Deputy will be aware, the timing of the introduction of the legislation is contingent on a number of actions: the conclusion of relevant legislative drafting work; the presentation of a draft Bill to the Government for their agreement and publication; and the legislative programme that may be adopted by the Government. This piece of legislation is currently on the 'second list' of the current legislative programme set out by the Office of the Government Chief Whip that is, Bills that are expected to undergo Pre-Legislative Scrutiny this session.