David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I believe the Act says that one can go straight through to the ombudsman but the feeling is that if one goes through the system which the Senator is talking about, that there might be a faster resolution. I wonder about the effectiveness of the ombudsman's findings and how impactful they are. At the end of the day, that might be something worth looking at if it is within the remit of the oversight body.

I have one or two very brief questions. How will the body come to a decision if there is a split in it? If the body is coming to a decision on something, how does it reach that decision? Is it a majority vote? Does the chair have a casting vote? Does the Secretary General of the Department ex officio have a vote? Has the body looked at that or does it see such a situation arising at all?