Northern Ireland | Ombudsman launches Annual Report

Launching his annual report the Ombudsman, Dr Tom Frawley CBE, said that the present economic downturn meant that his office’s work was never more important. He said: “I recognise that in the present economic climate public services are tested, as government and senior management seek even greater economy and efficiency. At such times statutory requirements, the needs of individual citizens and the quality of the delivery of public services can, if we are not vigilant, become secondary. In such challenging times, my Office provides an impartial mechanism for ensuring redress, where appropriate, to the individual citizen.”

He said that his office was also able to identify improvements that public bodies could make to their services to make them fairer and more effective. But he also emphasised that his office also had another important role. “We also act as a shield against unfair and unreasonable criticism when, at a time of financial retrenchment, public expectations of services also require to be managed more realistically,” he said.

Dr Frawley said this was exacerbated by the current economic crisis and the resulting pressure on public spending, which in turn inevitably leads to pressures on front line services