Ombudsman Finds 36 Complaints Made Against WCC Last Year

Complaints against public services were at a 30-year high last year, according to the Office of the Ombudsman’s Annual Report.

In 2025, 5,297 complaints were made against government departments, local authorities and publicly funded institutions such as hospitals, universities and accommodation centres.

This was up 11 per cent on the previous year.

86 complaints were made by Wexford residents while Wexford County Council received 36 complaints.

Overall, complaints to local authorities were up by 20 per cent while councils are implementing a new Local Authority Complaints Policy this year.

Ombudsman Ger Deering says he hopes this policy will "improve service delivery and complaint handling by local authorities, and so benefit everyone using their services."

Nationally, Housing related complaints made up the majority (58%) of complaints received about local authorities.

A number of complaints made were from applicants who were removed from social housing waiting lists.

21% of complaints investigated by the body were upheld or partially upheld while the report says "members of the public directly benefitted from contacting the Office in around 47% of cases" as they were resolved in other ways.

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.