Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I accept there are two challenges, ensuring that democratic accountability continues, and the fairly unique situation that the Garda Commissioner has control over policing and intelligence. The Minister should keep an open mind and engage with the need to have a truly independent policing authority, as seen by the people, separate from Government in terms of budgets and so on, and which deals with the Minister's concerns. Does the Minister accept that it is possible to achieve that balance if we put our minds to it?

See this speech in context