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

I will repeat the fact that extra resources and staffing have been made available. Clearly, hardly a body in the country would not say "Yes" when asked if it needed more resources. I have to be satisfied that GSOC, with the resources and staff that it has, can do the work being referred to it.

As I have said, I have met with GSOC a number of times since I became Minister and have been discussing the work with its representatives on an ongoing basis, as I have with the Garda Commissioner. I have been looking at the relationship between the two bodies and the need to put robust mechanisms in place. One of the issues I would like to see resolved and which would make quite a difference to the volume of work would be to agree a mechanism for the resolution of more informal complaints. If I call them "lesser complaints", it is not to say that not every complaint should be dealt with seriously. It would be helpful if everybody involved could agree to a mechanism for some of the complaints which could be dealt with more informally. That does not exist which means everyone is involved in a great deal of investigation which takes up a great deal of time. It is not to say that proper complaints should not be investigated fully to note that there is scope in this area. I have had discussions with the Garda Commissioner, GSOC and the representative bodies on this and we are looking at a number of initiatives which could deal with the matter and be helpful in terms of the resource issues mentioned.

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