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What Can The Ombudsman Do?

If you think that you have been unfairly treated by a public body such as a Government Department or Office, a local authority, the Health Service Executive or An Post and you have tried to resolve the matter yourself then the Ombudsman can look into the complaint on your behalf. Most complaints are finalised following an informal examination but if it is not possible to resolve your complaint informally, the Ombudsman may decide to undertake a formal investigation of the matter. If, at the end of this process, your complaint is found to be justified the Ombudsman will make recommendations to resolve it.

The Ombudsman has extensive powers in law. She can demand any information, document or file from a public body complained of and can require any official to give information about a complaint. In most instances the Ombudsman's recommendations are complied with but if the public body concerned fails to act on the Ombudsman's recommendations she may present a special report to the Houses of the Oireachtas on the matter. For some examples of cases dealt with by the Ombudsman please see Sample cases