The Office of the Ombudsman (the “Office”) comprises six independent statutory offices which are funded by way of a single Vote and who are accountable to Dáil Éireann through a single Accounting Officer, the Director General. These offices are the Ombudsman, the Information Commissioner (“the OIC”), the Commissioner for Environmental Information (“the OCEI”), the Standards in Public Office Commission (“the SIPOC”), the Commission for Public Service Appointments (“the CPSA”) and the Protected Disclosures Commissioner (“the OPDC”). The six offices have one office holder in common, the Ombudsman. Each office has its own staff complement, with finance, human resources, legal services, communications and ICT functions shared with the other statutory offices. Each of the statutory offices has its own legal basis, remit, structure and functions.
The Office will operate a Panel of Counsel for the purpose of instructing barristers to provide legal services to the Office, consistent with Circular 05/13
