asked the Minister for the Public Service if he has decided on a candidate for appointment as ombudsman.

Under the relevant legislation the appointment of a person to be the ombudsman is made by the President upon resolutions passed by the Dáil and Seanad. The question of appointing an ombudsman will be examined in conjunction with the Government's deliberations on budgetary requirements for 1982.

Why is there such reluctance on the part of the Government to put forward the name of a person to fill this position? Is the Minister aware of the great need for the appointment of an ombudsman, particularly since this Government took office? The public have many problems which need attention. I wonder why the Government are so reluctant to appoint an ombudsman when they are appointing special advisers at enormous cost to the State who are of no benefit to constituents.

The Government will decide during coming months whether an ombudsman should be appointed.

Does that mean that the money provided this year for that post has been saved and that a deliberate decision has been taken by the Government not to appoint an ombudsman in 1981?

The money provided will not be spent this year since an ombudsman has not been appointed. A decision will be made on the matter in the context of the budgetary deliberations.

It seems that the appointment of an ombudsman may be deferred indefinitely.

I cannot tell the Deputy what the decision of the Government will be.

I did not get a proper reply to my question.

I am not responsible for the content of the reply.

Is the Minister aware of the great need to appoint an ombudsman or have the Government decided to veto such an appointment?

The duties to be performed by an ombudsman were established by the Dáil but the decision on the matter has not yet been made.

Is this appointment included in the 3,881 posts which have not been filled as a result of the Government's embargo? In reply to Question No. 24, the Minister gave this figure. Is this post included?

No, it could not be since it was not in existence.

A final supplementary from Deputy Gene Fitzgerald.

It is not a final supplementary.

May I ask the Deputy if the Chair has any function in the matter?

I was not here for the reply to Question No. 24. Perhaps the Chair would consider allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment.

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.