Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I cannot accept the amendment because it is actually provided for elsewhere in the Bill. In section 30(4)(ii) of the Bill it confirms that the Garda Commissioner is accountable to the board for the performance of his or her functions. The function of the Garda Commissioner then in section 33 of the Bill includes the function "to assist and cooperate with the Authority and the Police Ombudsman in order to facilitate the performance" of either his or her functions, a new explicit function which was not in the current Act. As currently drafted, the Commissioner is already accountable to the board for assisting and co-operating with the Police Ombudsman and the Commissioner obviously is working on behalf of and representing An Garda Síochána more generally.