Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring:

Following on from that, going back to looking at proposed legislation, in the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which set up Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, we have no statutory power to make any recommendations. Is that something, if there were new legislation, for instance, that should be allowed to continue? We have a very short list of statutory recommendations we have made since 2005, and despite not having the power, we have made recommendations to An Garda Síochána about practice and procedure over the years. Because it has no statutory force, however, the Garda can, and has, ignored those recommendations. It is entitled to. If recommendations are something the committee sees as important, then it should scrutinise any new legislation to see if the proposed legislation has included that right for a new ombudsman or a revised ombudsman.