Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 13:

In page 13, before section 9, to insert the following new section:—

"9.—The Commissioner and members of the Garda Síochána shall be accountable to a Garda Síochána Board, which shall consist of a chairperson and members appointed in a manner determined by regulations made by the Minister, and the Board shall have the function of giving general direction and control to the Commissioner and members of the Garda Síochána and shall perform such other functions as are specified in regulations made by the Minister.".

The purpose of this amendment is to provide a new section 9 and is based on the Labour Party policy which seeks the establishment of a body to oversee the operation of the Garda Síochána. While I welcome the Minister's legislation and recognise that he has many ideas in common with the Labour Party, such as the need for an ombudsman, I wonder if he considered the idea set out in this amendment. The body would be similar to the one in place in Northern Ireland and this is the Bill into which measures to provide for it should be inserted. Is the Minister considering introducing such a body in future or is he totally against it?