Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

I will try to do that. At the end I was going to offer members of the committee that if they wished to have more one-to-one discussions on our transformation I would be happy to do that with them or with their colleagues. Our reform coincides in time with the implementation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland report so there are two major reforms ongoing on both sides of the equation the Deputy mentioned. The development of a policing service for the future, which is a cross-Government effort led by the Department of An Taoiseach and which affects all aspects of policing, including mental health, social protection and other issues, is a transformative approach to An Garda Síochána and the entire policing set-up it sits within. That is happening at the same time. As to the relationship between the two, it is clear to me - although I was not about for it - that the relationship between the Garda and the Department was very close. What strikes me most about it is the Department was entangled in running aspects of the Garda. There was a lack of capacity within the Garda in matters like HR, finance and so on. The Department was entangled in trying to help it with that and to deal with those issues. It is difficult to be involved in that way and to also have governance of an important agency like the Garda. It is difficult in that scenario to stand back and assess the Garda on its performance and compliance, the way we are now structured to do. That is important and that is changing. It requires change inside the Garda, and it is carrying out that change under Commissioner Harris. Recruitment is ongoing to ensure its capabilities in those areas are increased so it does not need the helping hand of the Department to run those things. That allows the Department to take a clearer governance role in the Garda.