Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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32. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the waiting times for processing complaints received by GSOC. [1279/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is a statutory independent body which is independent in the exercise of its functions and I have no function in relation to the processing of individual complaints which are referred to it for investigation.

I am however advised by the Ombudsman Commission that, conscious of the need to provide efficient and effective service for its various stakeholders, they have invested considerable time and energy to decreasing the duration of investigations arising from complaints. While every effort is made to ensure that all cases are concluded within a satisfactory timeframe, inevitably some cases take longer than others to investigate.

The Deputy may already be aware that an additional €1 million in funding has been made available in 2015 to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission to resource the organisation's activities this year. Arrangements have been put in place for a recruitment campaign for additional staff. The issues of efficiency and resources are kept under continuing review by the Commission.