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Making a complaint against government or public bodies

If you think you’ve been unfairly treated by a government department, organisation or public body and you would like to complain, it is important that you contact the appropriate body to deal with your problem.

Government organisations and public bodies

The Northern Ireland Ombudsman deals with complaints about poor service, unfair treatment and administrative failures

If you have a complaint about a government department or other public bodies - including local councils - you can take it to the Northern Ireland Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman deals with complaints from members of the public about poor service, unfair treatment or administrative failures of government departments and some other public bodies.

Before contacting the Ombudsman, you should try to make your complaint to the organisation involved. If you don't receive a satisfactory answer, or if you don't get a response, you can ask your MLA to send your complaint to the Ombudsman.

To find out if the organisation you want to complain about is one the Ombudsman can look at, check the list of organisations within his jurisdiction.

Complaints about institutes and bodies of the European Community

The European Ombudsman was established to deal with complaints about maladministration by the institutions and bodies of the European Community. You can complain to the Ombudsman if an institution fails to do something it should have done, if it does it in the wrong way or if it does something it should not have done. Some of the most common problems dealt with are:

Complaints about the police

The Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland provides an independent impartial police complaints system for the people and the police of Northern Ireland.

Who can you make a complaint against?

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland investigates complaints against:

  • Police Service of Northern Ireland
  • Belfast Harbour Police
  • Larne Harbour Police
  • Belfast International Airport Police
  • Ministry of Defence Police in Northern Ireland
  • Serious Organised Crime Agency (when its staff operate in Northern Ireland)

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland investigates complaints about the conduct of police officers and where appropriate makes recommendations in respect of criminal, disciplinary and misconduct matters.

Complaints about prison in Northern Ireland

Every prisoner held in a Northern Ireland prison has the right and opportunity to complain on any subject relating to their custody or treatment.

The complaint will initially be investigated by the Prison Service through its Internal Complaints Procedure. But should the person complaining remain dissatisfied they may then complain to the Prisoner Ombudsman who is independent of the Prison Service.

The role of the Ombudsman is to investigate eligible complaints and make recommendations to the Prison Service. In every case, the Ombudsman’s investigator will meet the complainant to discuss the issues and, on completion of any investigation, produce an investigation report.

A copy of the Investigation Report is provided to both the complainant and the Prison Service.

Contact details for the Prisoner Ombudsman for Northern Ireland

The Prisoner Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
22nd Floor, Windsor House
Bedford Street
Belfast
BT2 7FT

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