Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending the committee. I join with others in commending them on a comprehensive, solution-focused and practical report. It is good to hear the positives, which are emphasised in the report, about the can-do culture. That is a positive aspect of the culture that was mentioned.

Looking at the implementation issue, earlier this afternoon, the Seanad passed the Policing Authority Bill, which is now all set to come in. Mr. Olson said the report had been sent to the policing authority and, of course, the authority's functions include monitoring the implementation of the inspectorate's reports. One of the reasons we have brought in that policing authority is because of that missing link, where there has not been monitoring of recommendations. Is Mr. Olson hopeful, or does he anticipate, that the policing authority will make a difference in terms of monitoring implementation and following up on recommendations?

I have a question that is joined to that one. Mr. Toland said that things are starting to change already on foot of the 2014 report on crime investigation, on which this committee had a session. When we were debating the Policing Authority Bill earlier with the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, she pointed out that a tender is already out for the investment in technology necessary, for example, to move away from the dreadful, dated practice of paper-based rostering. So changes are clearly in train. We have heard a lot of negatives about the lack of implementation of the 700 recommendations, but clearly some of them are in the process of being implemented. With the policing authority that process will, presumably, be monitored to a greater extent. It is really about implementation and how that will work.