Parliamentary Ombudsman presents Annual Report 2024 to the Speaker of the House

Parliamentary Ombudsman presents Annual Report 2024 to the Speaker of the House

Published June 19, 2025

The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, presented the statutory Annual Report for 2024 of the Office of the Ombudsman to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Anġlu Farrugia. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the work of the Office over the past year, detailing the institution’s performance, its role in protecting persons from maladministration and its growing engagement with the public.

In his foreword to the Report, the Parliamentary Ombudsman highlighted that 2024 was a year of continued growth for the Office of the Ombudsman and its Commissioners. The Office not only investigated complaints and issued recommendations but also played a proactive role in proposing ways for public bodies to improve services. Emphasising fairness, accountability, and respect for the persons, the Ombudsman underlined the importance of addressing failures in public services promptly and working collaboratively with public entities to reduce injustices.

The Ombudsman noted a growing recognition within the public service and the public administration that the Office promotes higher standards of governance. He emphasised that public service providers must uphold not only the rule of law but also push forward the need for justice. Due to the increase of public distrust in institutions, the Ombudsman called for greater empathy and responsiveness from public bodies to address the concerns of persons who feel left behind.

During 2024, the Office experienced a further increase in public engagement, reflecting growing confidence in the institution. The Office handled more complaints — an increase of 7% over 2023 — and recorded a significant rise of 137% in the number of persons who approached the Office for assistance or advice on potential grievances. This increase in contact was also the result of the Office’s sustained outreach efforts, public information campaigns, participation in conferences, and continuous educational talks held in various educational institutions.

The Annual Report also highlights the Office’s expanding international engagement. Throughout 2024, the Ombudsman actively participated in meetings of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) at both European and global levels. The Office also became an Associate Member of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI). The Ombudsman reiterated his position that Malta should move towards establishing a National Human Rights Institution, with the Office extending its current remit in line with international standards, namely the Paris Principles.

Throughout 2024, the Office continued to engage actively with Parliament. The report includes the final opinions not implemented by public authorities which were tabled in Parliament, and reinforces the proposal made in the Ombudsplan 2025 for the creation of a dedicated standing committee of the House to debate such reports. This proposal, which is also supported by the Speaker of the House, aims to strengthen democratic oversight and ensure effective follow-up on the Ombudsman’s work.

The report also presents the annual reports of the three specialised Commissioners: Environment and Planning, Education, and Health.

Judge Zammit McKeon concluded that the Office would continue to serve as a bridge between persons and the public administration, ensuring that everyone is respected and treated fairly, and that maladministration is identified and corrected.

The full Annual Report 2024 has been tabled in Parliament on the 18th June 2025.