Ms Noirín O'Sullivan:

I will address the last question first. Any issue that would be identified by internal affairs or the professional standards unit that involves misbehaviour, misconduct or malpractice on the part of a member of An Garda Síochána would be immediately referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. That is how we envisage the process would work.

On disciplinary issues, some of the issues identified in the Guerin report, for example, a lack of file management and matters that may not amount to misconduct but include the types of issues identified by Baroness O'Loan, including apathy or laziness, would be dealt with in the internal disciplinary framework. Appropriate interventions would be taken in terms of training and these would need to be satisfied. If any indication or insinuation of wrongdoing were identified, it would be immediately transferred or referred to GSOC for investigation. That is how we envisage that process working. This approach would allow us to be much more proactive and I envisage that it would work very much with our occupational health department. This will involve looking for issues that require interventions at an early stage and being able to work on the policy, process and systems side with professional standards, and on the people side with internal affairs.

The Deputy asked about the Garda Inspectorate. As I noted in my opening statement, the independent policing authority, in conjunction with the Garda Inspectorate and Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, provide a type of tripartite oversight, which will, I believe, ensure public confidence and enhanced accountability. In respect of some of the questions asked, it is equally important, in terms of reinforcing public confidence, that these bodies are also seen to be demonstrably accountable.