Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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530. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the position further to Parliamentary Question No. 147 of 13 February 2014 in respect of which the member of the public wishes to clarify that the question related to the function and role of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission rather than an individual complaint; in this context the question does not relate to an individual complaint per se, it relates to the manner in which the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission conducts business and the way staff interact with members of the public in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9290/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I have no function or responsibility in relation to the matter raised. As I indicated to the Deputy in my reply to his Parliamentary Question 147 of 12 February, 2014 (not 13 February as stated by the Deputy), the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is independent in the exercise of its functions. While the funding for the Ombudsman Commission is provided through my Department, it is an independent statutory body which was set up under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Officers in the Ombudsman Commission are not staff of my Department. They hold office in the Civil Service of the State rather than the Civil Service of the Government.