Commissioner Simon O'Brien:

I will address the first question. We are very keen for a meeting to take place between the Minister, the Garda Commissioner and our organisation. In fairness, some might say we took four years to complete our report and perhaps someone in the Phoenix Park needs some time to ingest what it said. We are not just talking about the management of informants in terms of this meeting which will, it is to be hoped, deal not just with the section 80 special report but the issue of time limits and how we have co-operative engagement between us and the Garda Síochána.

I return to the point made by Commissioner Foley. We need accountability by consent. We need people to come around the table in a spirit of co-operation. Since the establishment of the new commission, we have spent 18 months having very positive dialogue with colleagues at the most senior level of the Garda Síochána. While we recognise time limits are a problem, we are also clear that in going public, we wanted to encourage debate.

If two months have passed and colleagues present from the press take up some of these issues, we do not want to be seen as those in the corner mithering and trying to make headlines. We want to make headway. If we have to wait a bit longer for such a meeting to come together and it is productive, informed and everyone around the table is completely on message about what we are trying to achieve, we as a commission will feel we have done a much better job than perhaps we have done in the past.

While two months may have passed, I am comfortable that the Minister is taking this matter seriously. He is in a position to be party to the committee and chair it, which we would welcome. We need to have a debate with members who look after their constituents. We need to have a proper debate in an open and transparent way. If we can get that right in the next three and half years of the commission, the committee will find us to be a commission that is willing to engage in a debate, take and receive criticism and, in an appropriate, fair and proportionate way, provide good criticism in order that the people can understand what is going on and understand not just the Garda position but also our position.