Ms Nóirín O'Sullivan:

I will ask my colleague, Assistant Commissioner Corcoran, to go through the detail of the disciplinary process. The disciplinary regulations were crafted in 2007 and we have identified the need for a review of them to find a more effective and smooth running of them. Part of the disciplinary regulations allows for independent boards chaired by external senior counsel with independent representatives. We are very anxious to review the disciplinary regulations to make them more effective and to reduce the timelines and bureaucracy. Any allegations of wrongdoing or gross misconduct by a member of An Garda Síochána, including, recently, by the Commissioner, must be investigated in the interest of impartiality and objectivity by the Ombudsman Commission. It is also important that a balance be struck on internal discipline issues. Where an internal disciplinary investigation identifies any gross misconduct, deliberate wrong doing or indeed criminality on behalf of a member of An Garda Síochána it is important that those matters are referred to GSOC. That happens in practice with oversight from GSOC.