The Ombudsman (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Provisions relating to complaints

11.—(1) A complaint under this Order may be made by—

(a) any individual; or

(b) any body (whether incorporated or not), other than a body to which paragraph (2) applies.

(2) This paragraph applies to—

(a) a district council or other body constituted for the purposes of local government;

(b) a body constituted for the purposes of—

(i) the public service; or

(ii) carrying on under national or public ownership any industry or undertaking or part thereof;

(c) any other body—

(i) whose members are appointed by Her Majesty, a Minister of the Crown, a department of the Government of the United Kingdom, the head of a department or a department; or

(ii) whose revenues consist wholly or mainly of moneys appropriated by Measure or provided by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

(3) Except as provided by paragraph (4), a complaint shall not be entertained under this Order unless made by the person aggrieved himself.

(4) Where the person by whom a complaint might have been made under this Order—

(a) has died; or

(b) is for any reason unable to act for himself,

the complaint may be made by his personal representative or by a member of his family or other individual suitable to represent him.

(5) Except as provided by paragraph (6) a complaint shall not be entertained under this Order unless it is made to a member of the Assembly not later than 12 months from the day on which the person aggrieved first had knowledge of the matters alleged in the complaint.

(6) The Ombudsman may conduct an investigation pursuant to a complaint not made within the period mentioned in paragraph (5) if he considers that there are special circumstances which make it proper to do so.

(7) A complaint shall not be entertained under this Order unless—

(a) the person aggrieved is resident in Northern Ireland or (if he is dead) was so resident at his death; or

(b) the complaint relates to action taken in relation to the person aggrieved while he was present in Northern Ireland or in relation to rights or obligations which accrued or arose in Northern Ireland.

(8) Any question whether a complaint is duly made under this Order shall be determined by the Ombudsman.