Secondly, only 3 % of all admissible complaints have led to criticism from the Ombudsman or to a settlement with the institution concerned.

The sharp rise in the number of complaints and, indeed, the number of admissible complaints further bears this out.

In addition to the 54% increase in complaints this year, we have also experienced a 62% increase in admissible complaints.

As I have also experienced at national level, there is a steady rise in the number of admissible complaints, but the increase in the inadmissible complaints is even higher.

As the De Rossa report rightly points out, there is still room for improvement, as evidenced by the fact that the lack or refusal of information still accounts for the greatest proportion of admissible complaints to my office.