Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring:

There is a lot in that. In terms of information provision generally from the Garda, it is moving forward on that in a general sense and is working on governance, openness and the need to protect people as well as its responsibilities to the public. We are seeing an understanding in terms of openness. In the past, it was more reserved in that regard. I am sure the tabling of parliamentary questions and trying to get information has also presented challenges.

As an organisation and institution, it does not have a history of making itself as free with information as other institutions and bodies. There are, perhaps, some good reasons for that. We have found that there are people who respond really well in terms of individual superintendents and gardaí, and others who require more persuasion. Ultimately, it has to come internally from within the organisation. It needs to decide how it responds to requests from GSOC, members of the public, parliamentarians or anyone else.

It is difficult to say why we do not get documentation. It may be because of an inherent distrust in our work or a lack of guidance from management on the requirement to provide information. We are trying to work with management and individuals on these issues. Given that there is no uniformity it can be very frustrating. It is sad that there is a reliance on individuals knowing that if a particular superintendent is in charge it will be very easy to deal with him or her while another may be less easy to deal with.

We do not go to the Department. Rather, we tend to go to the Commissioner and escalate something in order to seek senior involvement to perhaps deal with a logjam. We prefer not to have to go to the Commissioner with every problem we have. I suspect the Commissioner would prefer we did not go to him. We have escalation procedures, but we try to deal with matters internally because the Minister should not be involved in this kind of situation.