Mr. Robert K. Olson:

I do not know that I want to go into a defence of it. As far as a new structure is concerned, it is up to the committee to decide it. How that will work and who will report to whom all lie on the table of the committee. With the numbers I provided, the inspectorate has added significant value to the Garda Síochána in the recommendations we made, which probably would not have happened otherwise. In my five years in the organisation, out of its eight years of existence, my experience has been positive.

As I said, An Garda Síochána has implemented the majority of the things we have recommended, although sometimes maybe with a little bit kicking and scratching. We believe it is better for that. In fact, that is one of the reasons we want it institutionalised that we can come back, take a look at those recommendations, find out whether they accomplished what they were supposed to accomplish, whether it should still be doing that and whether there is a better way even on top of that. When one has an organisation that is focused on the trees, we like to think we are looking at the forest for it and that we add value in that way because we are not in the operational role. We are not in the role of finding out who is doing bad stuff or of investigating people. That is not what we do.

Our job is to look internationally for these kinds of things and everywhere we have looked, whether in the UK, the United States, Canada or Australia, they have inspectorates - it is very separate in the UK - and they add significant value. Rather than a defence, I would just say this is a good thing because when people are involved in the operations, they are also maybe a little too focused on self-interest. We do not have any special interest at all other than good policing for An Garda Síochána. I think there is room for that and our record will show that. We will have a total of four reports coming out by the end of this year. The fixed charge penalty process was the first under my watch and I think that view would not have been seen had it not been for an independent agency. Where the Legislature decides to plant it, that is up to it.