Legislation to extend powers of investigator

LEGISLATION EXTENDING the powers of the Ombudsman to investigate organisations such as vocational education committees and higher education institutions, has been introduced in the Dáil.

Minister of State for Health Barry Andrews said the Ombudsman's office was "not simply to examine individual complaints but also to ensure a better quality service to customers or clients of public bodies by improving the system of public administration".

Introducing the Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill, Mr Andrews said the Bill would expand the number of bodies to come under the Ombudsman's remit and allow the Ombudsman to make a general recommendation where she deems appropriate after an investigation. He stressed however that the Bill would exclude matters relating to recruitment and terms and conditions of employment from the remit of the office.

Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton said the legislation should give "the Ombudsman's recommendations and guidelines for bodies the legal force of a code of practice. Thus, if accepted by the body concerned, the guidelines would have legal force."

He was also concerned about the "very long list of bodies" excluded. "It is hard to understand why regulators who make decisions about institutions and their behaviour would not themselves be subject to the services of the Ombudsman."

Labour finance spokeswoman Joan Burton said it should be a principle that "all State bodies are subject to the Act as they are created or where they are in being, unless specifically excluded".