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The Office of the Ombudsman is open between 9.15 and 5.30 Monday to Thursday and 9.15 to 5.15 on Friday.
18 Lr. Leeson Street, Dublin 2.
Tel: +353-1-639 5600
Lo-call: 1890 223030
Fax: (01) 639 5674 Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie
Links
Other Ombudsmen Offices (Republic of Ireland)
The Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman was established under the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority, Ireland Act 2004. The Financial Services Ombudsman is an independent officer whose remit is to investigate, mediate and adjudicate unresolved complaints of customers about financial service providers
.Office of the Ombudsman for Children
The main purpose of the Ombudsman role for Children is to safeguard and promote the rights and interests of children and young people under the age of eighteen. The Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 describes in detail what the Ombudsman can do.
The Pensions Ombudsman investigates and decides complaints and disputes involving occupational pension schemes and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs).
Ombudsman for the Defence Forces
The Ombudsman for the Defence Forces investigates complaints made by serving or former members of the Defence Forces, about actions taken by serving or former members of the Defence Forces or civil servants, where there is an adverse affect,
Other Ombudsmen Offices/Organisations
The British and Irish Ombudsman Association
The British and Irish Ombudsman Association is an association of ombudsmen and other organisations from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Among its aims is to encourage, develop and safeguard the role and title of Ombudsman in both the public and private sectors.
Commissioner for Complaints and Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
Deals with complaints from people who believe they have suffered injustice as a result of maladministration by government departments and public bodies in Northern Ireland. His powers also include investigation of personnel complaints, and legal enforcement of findings in local government and health service complaints.
The Office of the European Ombudsman was established in 1992 by the Maastricht Treaty to deal with complaints regarding maladministration by the institutions and bodies of the European Union. The role of the European Ombudsman is to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens living in Europe by ensuring open and accountable administrations within the European Union.
The European Ombudsman Institute
This is a non-profit making, scientific association; its purpose is to adopt a scientific approach in addressing issues relating to human rights, civil protection and the institution of ombudsman; to conduct research in those areas and to promote and disseminate the ombudsman concept and to co-operate with institutions advocating similar objective.
International Ombudsman Institute
The International Ombudsman Institute has among its aims, the promotion of the concept of Ombudsman and the encouragement of its development throughout the world. The organisation maintains a useful page of links listing its international members.
The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman
The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman provides an independent, impartial police complaints system for the people and police under the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 and 2000. The Ombudsman investigates complaints against police officers, involving both criminal and disciplinary issues.
Appeal/Complaint Handling Bodies
The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland
ASAI, which was established by the advertising industry, enforces the Codes of Advertising Standards and of Sales Promotion Practice. Under the Codes all advertisements should be "legal, decent, honest and truthful".
The Agriculture Appeals Office
This is an independent, statutory appeals body which provides an appeals service to farmers if they are dissatisfied with decisions made by the Department of Agriculture & Food in respect of applications for grant-aid. Decisions of the Agriculture Appeals Office can be appealed to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Office of the Appeals Commissioners (Tax)
The Appeal Commissioners are responsible for carrying out the statutory duties assigned under the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 and related legislation, principally the hearing of appeals by taxpayers against decisions of the Revenue Commissioners concerning taxes and duties.
This is an independent statutory body which, among other things, deals with appeals against local authorities in relation to decisions to grant or refuse planning permission. Decisions of An Bord Pleanála cannot be examined by the Ombudsman.
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission
This is an independent statutory body which deals with complaints about material broadcast, programming and advertising on radio and television outlets licensed within the Republic of Ireland.
Office of the Director of Equality Investigations
The Equality Tribunal (Office of the Director of Equality Investigations) is the impartial forum to hear or mediate complaints of alleged discrimination under equality legislation. It is independent and quasi-judicial and its decisions and mediated settlements are legally binding.
Garda Síochána Complaints Board
The Garda Síochána Complaints Board is an independent statutory agency that deals with complaints from citizens about members of An Garda Síochána.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office operates independently of the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Social Welfare Services Office. It is headed by the Chief Appeals Officer who is also Director of the Office. If you disagree with the decision of the Deciding Officer of the Social Welfare Services concerning your entitlements, you have the right to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
The Social Welfare Tribunal is a statutory body set up in 1982 to deal with cases where entitlement to Unemployment Benefit or Assistance is refused due to an involvement in a trade dispute. Where a person feels that he/she has been unreasonably deprived of employment because his/her employer refused or failed to follow the negotiating machinery available for settling disputes, he/she may apply to the Tribunal for an adjudication on the matter.
SOLVIT is an on-line problem solving network in which EU Member States work together to solve without legal proceedings problems caused by the misapplication of Internal Market law by public authorities. SOLVIT Centres can help with handling complaints from both citizens and businesses.
Regulatory/Advisory Bodies
The Bar Council deals with all matters affecting the profession of barrister, including the conduct of the profession's business, etiquette and professional practice and relations with the public.
This is an independent statutory office holder who monitors compliance by public bodies with the requirements of the Official Languages Act 2003 and investigates complaints in relation to non-compliance.
The Competition Authority is an independent statutory body which seeks to ensure that competition works well for consumers throughout the Irish economy.
The Data Protection Commissioner
The Data Protection Commissioner is an independent statutory office holder whose primary function is to protect the rights of individuals in relation to personal data kept about them whether on computer or in manual systems.
Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent public body established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. The EPA has a wide range of functions to protect the environment. Its primary activities include:
Environmental licensing
Enforcement of environmental law
Environmental planning and guidance
Monitoring and reporting on the environmental status- air, water, waste, noise, land and soil
Environmental research
The Equality Authority is an independent state body in Ireland set up to ensure that all citizens in the country are treated equally and to ensure that discrimination on certain grounds does not occur. The Equality Authority was set up on 18th October, 1999 and replaced the Employment Equality Agency.
The Health and Safety Authority is the national body in Ireland with responsibility for securing health and safety at work. It is a state-sponsored body, established under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 and it reports to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
The Human Rights Commission is the statutory body charged with promoting and protecting human rights in Ireland
Office of the Information Commissioner
Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003, the Information Commissioner may conduct reviews of the decisions of public bodies in relation to requests for access to information. She may also carry out investigations at any time into the practices and procedures adopted by public bodies for the purposes of compliance with the Acts.
The Law Society is the educational, representative and regulatory body of the solicitors' profession in Ireland. The Law Society was established in 1773 and now exercises statutory functions under the Solicitors Acts 1954-2002 in relation to the education, admission, enrolment, discipline and regulation of the solicitors' profession.
The National Disability Authority, on behalf of the State, promotes and helps secure the rights of people with disabilities.
Standards in Public Office Commission
The Standards Commission supervises compliance with the Ethics Acts insofar as they apply to office holders (e.g. An Taoiseach, Ministers and Ministers of State), the Attorney General, Ministerial special advisers, senior civil servants and directors and executives of specified public bodies. The remit of the Standards Commission was extended by the Electoral Acts which give the Standards Commission a monitoring role in relation to the limiting and disclosure of political donations, limiting of election expenditure, public funding of qualified political parties, reimbursement of expenses incurred by certain election candidates and registration of third parties.
Public/Consumer Information
Operates under the aegis of the Department of Social and Family Affairs and is responsible for the provision of information, advice and advocacy on the broad range of social services to the public at large.
The European Consumer Centre provides a free information and advice service on consumer rights in the EU. It is part of an EU wide network of consumer centres and it can help you to solve consumer disputes arising in other Member States of the EU. It does this by trying to solve the dispute directly and, if this fails, by referring your case to an Alternative Dispute Resolution organisation in the other Member State. The Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs and the European Commission jointly finances the Centre.
On-line Access to Services, Information and Support is an Irish eGovernment website developed by Comhairle. The site provides information on the social and civil rights of everyone in Ireland. Oasis provides you with information you may need at various stages in life
The Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs
This is an independent statutory body which provides advice and information to consumers and enforces a wide range of consumer protection laws.
The current primary role of the Referendum Commission is to explain the subject matter of referendum proposals, to promote public awareness of the referendum and to encourage the electorate to vote at the poll.
