Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring:

We have seen better co-operation and that is because both organisations are recognising the work that each does. I compliment the work of chief superintendent, Margaret Nugent. She is in internal affairs and is our conduit for requests for information, as well as our general contact for investigations into protected disclosures. She and her colleague, Superintendent Helen Deely, have been excellent to work with. They are supported by Assistant Commissioner David Sheahan and, ultimately, the Garda Commissioner. There are people at a high rank who are clearly supportive of the work GSOC does and anxious for us to have co-operation.

We do not just deal with chief superintendents, superindendents and assistant commissioners but it is at those levels we can run into difficulties. When we have looked for information we have found that the people we dealt with acted efficiently and effectively but they then have to make requests to colleagues in particular stations around the country and it is at this point that things can get spotty. The person who asks for the information takes what is supplied to them in good faith and they pass it on to us but the question is whether they got all the information they wanted and whether, in turn, we got what we wanted. There is a sign of change and while this has to come from the top, it also needs to be recognised throughout the organisation. People who are tasked with the job of making documentation available must understand the importance of doing so when it is first asked for, rather than deciding to give certain documentation and information but not other things unless they are specifically asked for them. These individuals play an important role but we would like to see greater co-operation throughout. The local intervention initiative will, hopefully, foster a more co-operative approach in local areas and local Garda stations to dealing with the public and this should feed back to ourselves.

Time will tell.