Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Resources are an ongoing problem for every body. I reject what the Deputy says about GSOC’s independence. GSOC gets on with its work in an independent manner. Last year, it had an increase of 11% in referrals. We changed the legislation to give it more power. Under the provisions of the new Act, for the first time, there is an inclusion of the Garda Commissioner within GSOC’s investigative remit, there is a broadening of the scope for me to refer cases to it, and there is the conferral of additional police powers for criminal investigation and greater autonomy for it in examining Garda practices, policies and procedures. Any reasonable person would accept that it has been given greater powers and has been given an extra €1 million-----

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