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

I thank members for their support for the nomination of Ms Justice Ring, who will do an excellent job. There is no doubt that she is assuming a challenging role. It is very important that members of the public have confidence in the Garda Síochána, as Deputies McFadden and Anne Ferris noted. It is equally important that members of the public and the Garda have confidence in the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and that it operates a fair, rigorous and efficient system.

The Garda Síochána implemented a new administrative system in 2013 whereby requests for documentation from the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission were to be challenged through a dedicated e-mail address. The team responsible would ensure that responses were provided within the maximum time limit of 30 days, as agreed in the protocols between the two organisations. Last year was the first full year that GSOC was able to analyse this approach, which has contributed to greater efficiency. The median times for criminal investigations declined from 155 days in 2013 to 112 in 2014, and we expect further improvement in 2015. I expect the Garda Síochána to co-operate with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and, likewise, I expect GSOC to investigate complaints in a fair and rigorous manner.