Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is all piecing together to form a very troubling picture. It is even more troubling given that we were discussing the same matters three years ago. At that time, we were a little more upbeat because GSOC had gone to the trouble of detailing the legislative provision that would have sorted out this matter. Now we see not only the lack of change in that respect and its impact on the day-to-day work of GSOC. Ms Justice Ring has put on record that in the protected disclosures incidents, some people have been incredibly damaged by what has happened to them or what they perceive to have happened to them without adequate investigation. Some investigations last for days. Ms Justice Ring stated that GSOC continues to experience major difficulty accessing documentation. It is my guess that when we take these matters together, the process for carrying out investigations into protected disclosures is generally very long. Is that correct? I presume that most of the people in these circumstances are not in work.

What is the level of crossover? I am aware of one protected disclosure involving a very serious case of alleged Garda involvement in the drugs trade on which GSOC has finished its report. In tandem with the GSOC investigation, the Garda carried out an internal investigation which was still not finished after about four years. GSOC, however, is not able to publish its report until the Garda investigation concludes. Is that not the biggest flaw of all? Does this not stunt the work of GSOC? I presume an obstreperous Garda management - I am not saying that is the issue in this case - could delay the matter if it wished by contending that it is still investigating internally.

Does the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, have much interaction from a human resources perspective with An Garda Síochána around the gardaí and what for them is quite often a nightmare with regard to their working environment when their complaint is ongoing and how their complaint is kicked between the two organisations?