Press Kit

• The FSPO deals with complaints informally at first, by listening to both parties and engaging with them to facilitate a resolution that is acceptable to both. Informal mediation allows a faster resolution. When these early interventions do not resolve the dispute, the FSPO investigates the complaint and subsequently issues a decision that is legally binding on both parties, subject only to a statutory appeal to the High Court. The FSPO publishes a list of active statutory appeals on its website.
• The services of the FSPO are available to consumers including businesses and other entities with a turnover not exceeding €3 million.
• The Ombudsman can direct a financial service provider to pay compensation of up to €500,000 to a complainant, up to €52,000 for an annuity and/or to rectify the conduct that is the subject of the complaint. There is no limit on the value of the rectification that can be directed.
• The Ombudsman cannot direct compensation for pension complaints.
• Decisions issued by the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman are legally binding on both parties and can only be appealed to the High Court within 35 days of issue. Decisions are published regularly on the FSPO's database of decisions.
• When publishing decisions, the FSPO's legislation requires that decisions should be published in a manner that ensures that a complainant is not identified by name, address or otherwise, and a provider is not identified by name or address.
• The FSPO does not publish decisions before the elapse of the 35-day period available to the parties to make a statutory appeal to the High Court, nor does it publish decisions which have been appealed to the High Court, pending the outcome of any such Court proceedings
• The FSPO publishes a list of active statutory appeals on its website. It is not the practice of the FSPO to offer observations on any such High Court litigation, including the identity of a provider or the basis of the appeal, because the Ombudsman does not consider it helpful to comment while a judicial process is ongoing. Following the conclusion of an appeal, the Court's Judgment is published on our website.
• On an annual basis, the FSPO publishes the details of every financial service provider that has had three or more complaints against it upheld, substantially upheld, or partially upheld, with the exception of any decision that is the subject of a statutory appeal at the time of publication. This information is published in the Ombudsman's Overview of Complaints.
• Given its statutory role, the FSPO cannot publicly comment on individual complaints brought to the FSPO or matters concerning named providers. Similarly, the FSPO cannot provide general comment on matters that may give rise to complaints in the future

Staff

• MaryRose McGovern, Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Acting)
  In accordance with Section 10(1)(d) of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017 (the Act), Ms. MaryRose McGovern was appointed Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Acting), by the Minister for Finance, with effect from 6 February 2022 until such time as the appointment of an Ombudsman is made, under Section 8(1) of the Act, and for not more than 12 months.
• Diarmuid Byrne, Director of Dispute Resolution Services
• Tara McDermott, Director of Customer Operations and Information Management
• Áine Carroll, Director of Corporate and Communication Services
• Úna Gately, Director of Investigation Services

Videos

• How to make a complaint to the FSPO
• What happens when we receive your complaint
• What to expect during dispute resolution
• What to expect during the investigation process

Information Leaflets

• How to make a complaint to the FSPO
• What to expect during dispute resolution