Commissioner Simon O'Brien:

I will answer some of the other questions. We have a sufficient number of powers as it stands at the moment. We have all the powers that are gifted to the Garda Síochána when we are in an investigation stage. I certainly am looking forward to the commission signing a new set of protocols with the Garda Síochána. We will give a very firm commitment to this committee and to the people that we will work those protocols very hard. We have been negotiating and both sides have been respectful of each other's positions. Coming before this committee and making public comment about these matters would, I hope, indicate the serious place we are in.

The Minister has been very proactive with us since we put this into the public domain. We await with some interest our meeting with him and the Garda Commissioner to discuss both issues of the special report that is before committee members today, but we also interact with the Garda about every-day matters that affect members' constituents. This is not always about serious matters of secrecy or informant handling. This is basic work between our two organisations that will allow us to provide redress to members' constituents and to the Commissioner's members. The record so far has not been good and we expect it to improve considerably.