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Press Statement - 25 March 2003

Press Statement issued by Mr Kevin Murphy Ombudsman and Information Commissioner

25 March 2003

In accordance with the provisions of the Ombudsman Act 1980 and the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, I have to-day asked Her Excellency, President Mary McAleese to relieve me of office as Ombudsman and office as Information Commissioner with effect from 1 June 2003.

My decision to retire from both posts was made early last year when I reached 65 years of age. I conveyed my decision informally to the Secretary General (PSMD) Department of Finance with a suggested retirement date of 1 October 2002. Before my retirement date was settled, the referendum on the ratification of the Nice Treaty was announced and I decided to stay on until the referendum was over since I am, as Ombudsman, an ex officio member of the Referendum Commission and the secretariat is provided by my Office. Subsequently, and unexpectedly, I found it necessary to prepare a special report for the Dáil and Seanad "Redress for Taxpayers" following the rejection by the Revenue Commissioners of certain formal recommendations I made in an investigation report. Special reports of this kind are the personal responsibility of the Ombudsman of the day. This matter was successfully concluded when the Minister for Finance agreed in the context of the Finance Bill that all my recommendations should be implemented.

I decided, therefore, to proceed with my retirement plans and following further consultation with the Department of Finance, settled on a retirement date of 1 June 2003. My decision was made before the announcement by the Government of proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information legislation and is in no way connected with that issue.