Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am new to this committee and newly engaging with Ms Justice Ring's good office. In my previous role as a Belfast city councillor, fortunately or unfortunately, I had quite a number of interactions with the Police Ombudsman in the North. Ms Justice Ring will probably appreciate why this engagement has been so informative and why I am somewhat astonished at the lack of legislative teeth, as she put it, and protections that exist for her, given her work.

I have a few observations and, if Ms Justice Ring will indulge me, a few logistical questions around her office. A concern about the retirement issues seems to be emerging among the members in addition to the timebound nature of some of her work. Certainly in the North, many of the cases that have been examined by the Ombudsman have been legacy issues, some of those primarily conflict-related legacy issues. Is there a timebound nature to the complaints that come to her office that she can examine? Not all complaints relate to a garda being rude or using foul language, some of those coming forward are quite severe and serious. Is part of her role to recommend a prosecution or court action, or does she have to immediately absent herself from that if that becomes the case?

I know the Chairman has agreed a work plan for this committee to the end of year but beyond that we might have the opportunity to hear from representatives from the police ombudsman's office to examine some of its best practice; that is not to say that office is perfect either, but it would help inform members and be of benefit to this committee.

Ms Justice Ring mentioned speaking to the gardaí at various leadership levels around the cultural change Deputy Wallace raised. One element we have seen in terms of transforming a very embedded culture within policing in the North has been to facilitate engagement with citizens and with community organisations at a grassroots level.

Is it a resource issue? Does Ms Justice Ring have the capacity to initiate that direct interface or does it rest elsewhere? It has not resolved all our ills but it has been very beneficial in the North.