Eoin Ryan
Question:82 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if the Government has extended the remit of the Ombudsman to cover voluntary hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3010/97]
Written Answers. - Remit of Ombudsman.
The current position is that under the terms of the Ombudsman Acts, 1980-84, the Ombudsman has powers to investiate complaints about Departments and public service organisations under his remit in relation to administrative actions which adversely affect persons or bodies corporate. The remit of the Ombudsman was originally confined to Government Departments and offices staffed by civil servants but in December 1984 a Government order extended his remit, inter alia, to cover health boards and public hospitals — not including clinical matters. Consideration is now being given to legislation which would extend the remit of the Ombudsman further to cover agencies established since 1980, non-commercial State bodies and bodies — including hospitals and other institutions in the health sector — which derive 50 per cent or more of their funding from the State. I hope to bring my proposals in this regard to Government in the near future.