Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have received an apology from Senator Black, who is indisposed.

The purpose of this morning's meeting is to have an engagement with Ms Nóirín O'Sullivan, the Garda Commissioner, on the priorities and challenges for An Garda Síochána in the near future. The joint committee has identified oversight and accountability of An Garda Síochána as one of its priority issues in its 2016 work programme. The chairperson of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring appeared before the committee last month and Ms Josephine Feehily of the Policing Authority appeared before it two weeks ago. Representatives from the Garda Inspectorate will come before us next week.

I welcome Ms O'Sullivan and her colleagues: Mr. Eugene Corcoran, assistant commissioner for governance and accountability; Mr. Joseph Nugent, newly appointed chief administrative officer; Mr. Dónall Ó Cualáin, deputy commissioner for governance and strategy; Mr. Jack Nolan, assistant commissioner for the Dublin metropolitan region; and Dr. Gurchand Singh, head of the analysis service. The other colleagues of the Commissioner who are seated behind are Mr. Alan Mulligan, head of the civilian human resources section, Mr. Ken Ruane, head of the legal affairs, Mr. Andrew McLindon, director of communications, Mr. Michael O'Sullivan, assistant commissioner for executive support and corporate services, Ms Anne Marie McMahon, assistant commissioner for the southern region, Mr. Matt Nyland, chief superintendent for policy development, implementation and monitoring, and Mr. Aidan Glacken, chief superintendent of the strategic transformation office. I welcome everyone and thank the Commissioner on behalf of the committee for accepting our invitation to take part in this structured engagement, which we hope will inform us in the preparation of a report on Garda oversight and accountability that we aim to present to the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality before the end of the month.

The format of the meeting is that the Commissioner will be invited to make a brief opening statement. This will be followed by a question-and-answer session in which members can indicate and I will take them in the order in which they do so.

Before we do that, I must issue the privilege reminder, which is part of the requirement of our meeting. I draw the Commissioner and her colleagues' attention as our witnesses to the situation in respect of privilege. The witnesses should please note that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members should be aware that, under the salient rulings of the Chair, they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

It is my wish, and I expect it will be the case, that the Commissioner will be afforded the same courtesy that all other invitees to the committee have enjoyed. Members can, and no doubt will, ask salient and searching questions. That is what the exchange is all about. Without further commentary, I invite the Commissioner to make her opening statement.