asked the Minister for the Public Service if any further consideration has been given to the appointment of an Ombudsman.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ombudsman Appointment.
13.
Consideration is continuing of the possibility of appointing a Commissioner for Administrative Justice and the general question of appelate machinery to deal with the complaints of those aggrieved by administrative decisions.
This examination involves study of the Ombudsman institutions operating in other countries and identification of features of those institutions which would be appropriate in our system.
Could I ask the Minister how long it will be before a decision will be reached on it?
I cannot tell the Alderman how long it will take, but he may be assured of the Government's very active sympathy and work in this area.
Could I ask the Minister if he is aware that an appointment of this kind, or of something very similar, is essential if the experiments in regard to three Departments which have been carried out in the implementation of the Devlin Report are to be properly made.
Yes, this is one of the considerations which we have in mind. I think it is important that as we go about setting up such an institution, it should be properly framed and operated from the beginning.