Office of the Ombudsman, Ireland
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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

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Annual Report of the Ombudsman 2004

Chapter 4 - The Ombudsman’s Remit

The Ombudsman’s Remit

I am pleased to note recent developments in relation to the extension of my jurisdiction in the health area. The Health Act 2004 makes provision for the development of a statutory complaints procedure in the public health area. I understand that the Department of Health and Children is about to engage in an extensive consultation process within the health sector and that it is intended that regulations giving effect to this provision will be made later this year. Not alone does it cover the services provided by the new Health Service Executive (which is now within my jurisdiction), it also encompasses health or personal social services provided by a service provider who has entered into an arrangement with the Executive, or who has received assistance from the Executive for that purpose. Such actions are deemed, under the legislation, to have been taken by the Executive. This means that for the first time, my jurisdiction will extend to the actions of the major hospitals in the Dublin area, and those agencies which provide services to the Executive in respect of the intellectually disabled.

The Disability Bill was published in 2004. This Bill, inter alia, requires public bodies to ensure that public buildings and services are accessible to people with disabilities. At the time of writing, the Bill envisaged that the Ombudsman will have jurisdiction to examine complaints in relation to the failure to provide such access in accordance with the legislation. In addition, a number of government departments will be obliged to prepare sectoral plans, which must give information about the measures designed to give life to the delivery of services to the disabled as envisaged in the Bill, within established time frames. It is envisaged that the Ombudsman will have jurisdiction to examine complaints about failures in this area also.

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