ALMOST half of the 3,181 complaints received in 1996 by the Office of the Ombudsman referred to Civil Service departments, according to the annual report. And of those more than 50 per cent related to the Department of Social Welfare.
The Ombudsman, Mr Kevin Murphy, said yesterday this was due to the volume of work which involved dealing directly with members of the public in this Department, rather than because of lower standards of service.
In response to the report, the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa, said the Department provides support to some 900,000 people and their 650,000 dependants each year. In this context, the number of complaints was very low, he said.
"I am pleased for the staff of the Department that he [the Ombudsman] has also described it as a good Department, providing a good service," he said.
Mr De Rossa said the Department would examine the Ombudsman's comments with a view to further improving its service.
The total number of complaints in 1996 was up by 10.5 per cent on 1995, Mr Murphy said, and the indications were 1997 would be an even busier year. Complaints received so far this year were 29 per cent up on the same period in 1996.
But the complaints were not spread evenly. People living in rural areas and small towns were better at complaining than those in the large suburbs, he said. "There is low usage of the services of the office among people in deprived urban areas.
"We have clinics every month in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford and revolving clinics in smaller towns. We thought that clinics in big suburbs would be the same. We had a clinic in Tallaght for a year, but it generated only 30 valid complaints in a year. I am not convinced it is because there are no complaints there. In Portlaoise in one, day we got 58 valid complaints.
He explained that people in rural areas were more attuned to using their local politicians, and saw the Ombudsman as an alternative court of appeal. Research also showed that those in large conurbations depended a lot on television for information, and his office did not have a TV advertising budget.
Almost half of the 3,181 complaints received in 1996 - 48.5 per cent - dealt with Civil Service departments. Of the remaining 51.5 per cent, 22.5 per cent involved local authorities, 16 per cent related to health boards, 11 per cent concerned Telecom Eireann and 2 per cent An Post.
Mr Murphy said there was a 10 per cent increase in complaints against health boards compared with last year. Regarding hospitals and health providers, he said: "We are trying to get over the attitude that an apology does not imply liability".
This year the office of the Ombudsman produced a Guide to Standards for Best Practice for public servants, which should reduce the number of complaints. It urges them to deal promptly, sensitively and helpfully with members of the public, and, in particular, "responsibly, by not adopting an adversarial approach as a matter of course where there may be a fear of litigation."
He said the Freedom of Information Act would have "a profound effect" on the public service when it comes into operation next April. He will be the State's first information commissioner under the Act. He will also continue as Ombudsman.
He expressed disappointment at the lack of progress on the proposed extension of powers and remit of the office.