[2][3] The role of an independent ombudsman was originally created as a response to the Northern Ireland civil rights movement, and complaints of institutional bias and discrimination in the areas of housing and jobs.

[5] In April 2016, under the Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016,[6] the Office of Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO) was established to consolidate the former offices of Assembly Ombudsman and Commissioner for Complaints into a single office.

[7] The ombudsman's function is to investigate complaints about most public services in Northern Ireland.

[8] The complainant must usually have exhausted the complaints process of the public body first.

[citation needed] Previous holders of the office have included Stephen McGonagle,[9] Jill McIvor,[2] Gerry Burns,[10] Maurice Hayes,[2] Tom Frawley,[2] and Marie Anderson.