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Annual Report 2021
Complaints to the Ombudsman about public services, such as those provided by government departments, local authorities and the HSE, reached a record high in 2021. Recently-appointed Ombudsman Ger Deering said that 4,004 complaints were received by his Office - a 17% increase on 2020, and the highest ever in the 38-year history of the Ombudsman.
Speaking today [Wednesday 25 May] at the publication of the Annual Report for 2021, Ger Deering said that complaints about local authorities accounted for the largest proportion of the increase, with 1,290 complaints - an increase of 45% on 2020. Complaints mainly related to housing and planning issues. There were 227 complaints made to the Ombudsman about Dublin City Council, 101 complaints about Cork City Council and 70 about Limerick City and County Council.
There was a 26% increase in complaints about the Health sector (up to 796) which includes the HSE, public hospitals and Tusla. 325 complaints were about HSE services, including 105 complaints about Primary and Community care, and 56 about the Treatment Abroad and Cross Border Directive schemes. Tusla was the subject of 118 complaints to the Ombudsman.
Complaints about Government Departments and Offices were down 12% on 2020 (to 1,066). The highest number of complaints was about the Department of Social Protection (579) but this was down from 735 in 2020. Complaints about the Department related to the Disability Allowance while 62 were about the Job Seekers Allowance.
The Ombudsman’s Office completed 3,961 complaints in 2021 (a 13% increase on 2020), and responded to 6,125 enquiries, an increase of 65% on 2020.
The Ombudsman criticised the Passport Service of the Department of Foreign Affairs. There was a significant increase in complaints about the Department to the Ombudsman in 2021– the bulk of those relating to delays in processing first-time passport applications. The Ombudsman said that he understands that the Passport Service was put under pressure due to the pandemic and surge in applications following Brexit. However, he said that such delays were not acceptable and that the experience of 2021 should not be repeated. He will continue to monitor the situation.
Source: Office of the Ombudsman of Ireland
