This Statement of Strategy sets out our key objectives to 2025. The Statement has been developed in consultation with our external stakeholders and with staff from each of the individual Offices and Business Units.
Corporate governance is the systems, principles and processes by which organisations are controlled. The principles of corporate governance are based on managing the organisation with:
- integrity and fairness
- transparency
- all necessary disclosures
- following the law
Good governance assists with efficient and effective management.
The Office established a PSD Committee in 2018 to assess the human rights and equality issues which arise in relation to the functions of our statutory bodies, as well as our corporate functions as an employer and purchaser of goods and services. The Committee developed an initial action plan, which was incorporated into the Office’s strategy statement for 2019-2021. The PSD Committee was refreshed in 2022 to further build on work already underway to promote, Human Rights, Equality and Diversity in the Office. The PSD Committee has re-assessed our Public Sector Duty and has produced an Action Plan for 2022 – 2025.
Human Rights: A guide for Ombudsman staff when investigating complaints
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Human Rights: A guide for Ombudsman staff when investigating complaints
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The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 provides safeguards for workers who raise legitimate concerns regarding actual or potential wrongdoing in the workplace. The Office has developed procedures in line with the 2014 Act, which have been approved by the Management Team. The procedures detail:
- how staff members can make a protected disclosure
- what happens when a disclosure is made
- what the Office will do to protect the discloser
The Office consists of six separate statutory functions, which share a corporate framework under the rubric of the Office of the Ombudsman. Each statutory Office has its own staff complement and is supported by a “Corporate Spine”, which supports the independence of the statutory bodies by the provision of its own ICT systems, human resources, finance, procurement, legal services, communications expertise and quality assurance. The Office’s operates one internal Protected Disclosures reporting channel for all of its statutory functions, which is managed by designated staff from the Corporate Spine. Section 22 of the 2014 Act requires every public body to prepare and publish an annual report in relation to protected disclosures received under the provisions of that Act. The report below reflects the activity across all of the Office’s statutory functions in respect of protected disclosures from its staff.
Year Protected Disclosures Received
2016 Nil
2017 Nil
2018 Nil
2019 Nil
2020 Nil
2021 Nil
2022 Nil
2023 Nil
The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 also makes provision for a protected disclosure to a prescribed person. Two prescribed persons are located in this Office, which are the Secretary to the Standards in Public Office Commission and the Director of the Commission for Public Service Appointments. A report of wrongdoing may also be made to the Office of the Protected Disclosure Commission (OPDC), which is also part of this Office. The referenced prescribed persons and the OPDC report separately regarding protected disclosures received in their capacity under the Act.
Our Legal Services Unit provided training in respect of Protected Disclosures to all members of our staff and will continue to provide ongoing training and support to staff in this respect. Members of staff in the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner also received more specialised training for their particular role.
The Government’s 2019 Climate Action Plan puts in place a decarbonisation pathway to 2030. The plan identifies that early action by public bodies on climate is fundamental to achieving Ireland’s decarbonisation targets and one of our Green Team’s aims is to assist in that regard.
Our Green Team was established in the Office in 2020. The main aims of the Green Team are to introduce environmentally friendly measures in the Office in the areas of energy, waste, transport and water, as well as improving the quality of the working environment. The Green Team has commenced a series of themed monthly awareness programmes to assist staff in making more environmentally sustainable decisions both in work and at home. Measures taken by the Office include:
- monitoring of energy usage and air quality in the Office
- providing reusable cups to staff
- increasing the number of lockers to encourage a change in commuting habits
- waste and recycling awareness programmes
- provision of filtered drinking water taps in place of bottled water
- the replacement of desktop computers with more energy efficient laptops
- the introduction of PIN-controlled printers to reduce paper waste
- a move to a ‘paper-light’ and, where possible, ‘paperless’ office
The Green Team, with the support of senior management, will endeavour to introduce further initiatives that promote environmental sustainability for both individuals and the organisation
This scheme was prepared under section 11 of the Official Languages Act, 2003 jointly by the Office of the Ombudsman and the Office of the Information Commissioner.
All staff of our Office are Civil Servants of the State and are subject to the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. Section 20 of the Code sets out the requirements in relation to the acceptance of outside appointments and of consultancy engagement following resignation or retirement. All staff of our office are, therefore, subject to and required to comply with section 20 of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour.
Members of our staff who are Designated Public Officials for the purposes of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 (RoL Act) are also required to comply with section 22 of the RoL Act. Section 22 provides that such persons are subject to a “cooling-off” period in respect of involvement in particular lobbying activities for a year after they leave their employment or office. The only Designated Public Official in our Office is the Director General, Ms. Elaine Cassidy. Further details regarding section 22 of the RoL Act is available at lobbying.ie.
The Ombudsman is a member of the International Ombudsman Institute and the Ombudsman Association.