Baroness Nuala O'Loan:

I was not altogether satisfied with the way in which it was done because we had to allow police inspectors to do the informal resolution. We were involved but we had to allow the inspectors to do it but I would have preferred to have done it myself. We then tried to introduce a mediation process, but I left at that stage.

Having said all that, it is eminently possible to devise a scheme whereby these complaints are dealt with. It is important that where a thing can be dealt with by GSOC, it is dealt with by GSOC. For the Garda to do so almost inevitably costs more because, I guess, a Garda inspector or Garda superintendent will earn more than a GSOC manager who would do this kind of work. Also, it would be the inspector, sergeant or maybe the superintendent who would have to deal with it depending on the rank of the officer against whom the complaint was made. Therefore, it would be cheaper. It also enables somebody who presents with an apparently very simple complaint to gain trust in the complaints organisation - GSOC - and to present with something more serious because they are testing the system and asking themselves whether they dare bring it to the organisation.