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Covid-19 notice

Due to the current public health emergency it is unavoidable and understandable that it is causing considerable disruption to the delivery of public services, as well to the work of our own Office. With this in mind, we would ask for your patience and cooperation and in particular:

A) Please think about whether you really need to make complaints about healthcare and social support services, both of which are under huge strain at the moment.

B) In terms of the work of the Office of the Ombudsman, our staff will continue to work during this time. However, we rely on interaction with the service providers to carry out our work, and there may be significant delays in getting responses from service providers, particularly those in healthcare. Additionally, some of our own staff may be redeployed to vital front line services. We apologise for the delays which will result.

Before you start the complaint form

We examine complaints relating to public services in Ireland such as those from government departments, local authorities and the HSE. We also examine complaints about private nursing homes.

We do not examine complaints about banks, insurance companies, internet providers, airline travel, private companies, consumer issues or An Garda Siochána. To contact the relevant complaint handler see this list.

• Before you contact us you should first try to resolve your complaint with the relevant service provider. If you are unhappy with the outcome, then you can complain to us.
• We cannot look into a complaint if it is made more than 12 months after you initially complained of the action or you became aware of that action, unless there are very special circumstances.
• If your complaint is in relation to the Disability Act please follow the steps on how to Make a complaint under the Disability Act.

What you will need to complete the form

Before completing this form please check that:

• The Ombudsman can examine a complaint about the service provider. Check our list of service providers or contact us to check.
• You have complained to the service provider and allowed it six weeks to respond.
• You have received a final response to your complaint. (You may complain to us if there is a long delay in the provider replying to you).
• You have used the service provider’s appeals process (if they have one).
• If more than 12 months has passed since the action or decision that affected you happened there is a good reason for the delay in contacting us.

If you would like to send your complaint by post, download our complaint form here.

The Ombudsman fully respects your right to privacy. For information about what we do with personal data see our Privacy Notice.

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