Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the new Garda Commissioner and his team and thank them for appearing before the committee. I wish the Commissioner well going forward.

My first question relates to the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland report, which the Commissioner referenced in his opening statement. Having been in his post for two months now, what is his view of the current policing oversight architecture? One of the issues raised in the aforementioned report and other reports on An Garda Síochána is that there are many bodies through which the force is held to account. The Commissioner has said that public accountability is important to him. New offices have been proposed, including an independent office of the police commission and a policing and community safety oversight commission. The Policing Authority, the Garda Inspectorate and GSOC are in the mix already and there is also the potential for a new board. Where does the Commissioner see this going? I know that ultimately it is a Government decision as to the architecture surrounding An Garda Síochána but does the Commissioner believe it is too complicated at present? Would he like to see it simplified, while still upholding the principle of public accountability?