Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the action he intends to take following the suggestion from the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman, Ms Nuala O'Loan, for co-operation between her office and the soon to be established Garda Ombudsman office to be put on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35768/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I will shortly bring to Government and the House proposals for the nomination of the three members of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. I am sure that the Ombudsman Commission will be anxious to liaise and co-operate with the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and equivalent bodies in other jurisdictions to the fullest extent possible within the legal framework that applies in the relevant jurisdictions.

The Garda Síochána Act 2005 provides for the circumstances in which information obtained by the Ombudsman Commission may be disclosed, in or outside the State, to other persons. Specifically, the Ombudsman Commission may itself authorise disclose of information in any case. Under the provisions of the Act, therefore, it is a matter for the Ombudsman Commission to decide in each case to whom it will disclose information.