Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

One would not expect the relationship between an oversight body like GSOC and An Garda Síochána to be without tension. I would expect tensions in that relationship. It is, after all, the body to which one makes a complaint and which subsequently investigates that complaint, calling people to account. It follows a tough and analytical procedure in which people and events are investigated.

Having said that, many gardaí will raise with me how time-consuming these complaints can be. That is why I made the point earlier about informal resolution. Complaints consume resources and take away from day-to-day and community policing.

The term “efficiency” was taken from GSOC itself. The timeframe between a complaint being made to GSOC and information coming from An Garda Síochána has shortened considerably. Co-operation between the two bodies is there. There is work to be done on both sides, however. The bottom line is that the public needs to have confidence in GSOC and we need to have confidence in our Garda Síochána.