Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-18-Speech-4-026"

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"en.20041118.4.4-026"2
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"Mr President, where there are systems there will be failures, and despite the comments by Kathy Sinnott, we have a very effective Office of the Ombudsman in Ireland and we are a democracy, so both go hand in hand. I note that 2,500 complaints were received by your Office in 2003. In my view that is very low. In Ireland roughly the same number of complaints are made annually, and we are rather small compared to the EU. I also note, however, that there was a 40% increase in the number of complaints over the year in question. I suppose that is because of the work you have done in making your office more familiar to the public. I do not think it is because the EU institutions work better than Member State institutions. All institutions suffer from the problem of protecting themselves rather than looking after the public. I know that many of the complaints you receive do not fall within your remit, but this serves yet again to prove the point that citizens simply do not know where to turn when they run into administrative and other difficulties. As a newly elected MEP I too have difficulties with this Institution, so I share the problems that the citizens have. I would like to say that, in general, a more client-focused approach by all of the institutions would make you redundant, though I do not think that will happen in the near future. At national level, at least in Ireland, the Office of the Ombudsman has been a very positive force for change. It has changed the system and the culture, and I believe that your office should be a similar force for change, not just a problem-solving office for the individual but one that can change the system for all citizens and for the better. I wish you well in your work."@en1
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