Our job is to investigate complaints from members of the public who believe they have been unfairly treated by certain public service providers. We can investigate complaints against most organisations that deliver public services. These include government departments, local authorities, the HSE, nursing homes and publicly funded third level education bodies. For more information, see here.
Before bringing a complaint to us, first you must complain to the service provider whose action or decision has affected you. If the provider has a complaints or appeals system in place, you should use it. If you haven’t already complained to the service provider you might find our guide on how to complain to a service provider helpful.
If you have complained to the service provider and believe the decision or action taken was wrong, then you can contact the Ombudsman.
You should submit your complaint within 12 months of the action or decision that has adversely affected you. However, even if more than 12 months has passed, we may still be able to help if there is a good reason for the delay.
You can visit our Make A Complaint page , and our form will quickly determine for you whether or not we can investigate your complaint. You can also find more information on our role here or contact us to discuss your complaint.
You cannot complain to the Ombudsman about:
The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about most providers of public services. However, there are other organisations which may be able to examine your complaint if we cannot do so. See If We Can’t Help for more information.
Yes. You should include copies of any letters, emails, reports and details of other communications between you and the service provider.
When you make your complaint, you should explain why you are unhappy and what you feel should be done to put things right.
If you are unhappy with a public service you received or were denied a service you think you were entitled to, you can complain to the relevant public service provider. For more information, see our guide on how to complain to a service provider.
If you are unhappy with the response you receive from them, you can bring a complaint to the Ombudsman.
Please note that the Ombudsman cannot handle complaints about organisations such as An Garda Síochána, the ESB and financial services or pensions providers. For these kinds of complaints, see here.
You must complain to the Ombudsman within 12 months of the action or decision that has negatively affected you. If more than 12 months has passed, we may still be able to help if there is a good reason for the delay.
See How We Handle Your Complaint for more information on how we deal with complaints. This includes timelines, and the kind of updates you can expect as your complaint is progressed.
Yes. Someone else can complain on your behalf, if you give them written permission to do so. If you want to complain on behalf of someone else, you must get their written permission.
Read our policy regarding consent for more information.
It will depend on your individual complaint. We will try to complete the investigation of your case within three to six months. If your case is more complicated, it may take us longer. However, we will keep you informed as to what is happening with your complaint.
We have produced information factsheets about how we investigate complaints and our role in different sectors. See here for more information on specific sectoral complaints.
Yes. The Ombudsman deals with all complaints independently and impartially when deciding whether the action or decision of the service provider was fair or reasonable.
Nothing - there is no charge for the services of the Ombudsman.
For specific statistics about the Office of the Ombudsman, see our latest annual report.
See Our Cases for examples of previous cases we have dealt with and to learn more about how we deal with your complaint.
There are many ways to get in touch with us. See our Contact Us page
You cannot make a complaint if it relates to:
You cannot complain to the Ombudsman if you can appeal a decision in the courts or with an independent appeals body.
Also, unless the circumstances are exceptional, the Ombudsman cannot examine your complaint if you have started legal proceedings against the service provider about the same complaint.
You can get legal advice about your complaint and still bring it to the Ombudsman - as long as you don't actually start legal proceedings. Call or email us if you are not sure.