Mr. Mark Toland:

One of the terms of reference is about oversight. We have met with the commission formally to do a presentation. Ms Shields did this because I was at GSOC at the time.

We have been invited back to some of their subgroups, one of which was the subgroup on oversight. Clearly they are looking at how the Department of Justice and Equality, GSOC, the inspectorate, the Policing Authority and other agencies will work together to deliver better oversight. In January we kick-started an oversight forum with the Policing Authority and GSOC and hope to meet again next month. The aim is to avoid duplication of activity, co-ordinate how we conduct inspections and look at what themes GSOC and the Policing Authority have picked up. We need to develop our relationships with the other agencies. It will be positive in moving forward.

I was asked if we were in danger and the answer is I do not know. The commission will report in September and I hope we will continue to do what we do as the quality of our work speaks for itself. However, we recognise that we are only as good as our last report, but we think we have done some quality work. Other organisations have looked at things at which we have looked and not found additional items. The Policing Authority has commissioned work to look at areas at which we have inspected previously and we have not been found wanting. We identified a number of the factors which have ended up in tribunals and other areas. Our view is that if those issues had been addressed at the time, some of the tribunals might not have been necessary. We add value and would like to continue. However, we recognise that we need to have a different relationship with the Policing Authority and An Garda Síochána.