Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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122. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she has taken to ensure that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission will publish figures outlining the percentage of investigations it carried out under its supervision, and by the Garda Síochána alone, including the types of disciplinary sanctions imposed under each type of investigation; the percentage of those sanctions that reflect the commission's recommendations; and that the complainant should be made aware of the action taken. [33611/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Síochána Act 2005 established the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) to receive complaints from members of the public concerning the conduct of members of the Garda Síochána. The Act stipulates that the Ombudsman Commission is independent in the exercise of its functions.

GSOC directly investigates complaints involving allegations of criminality, and its investigative staff have full police powers to do this. It may refer other complaints to the Garda Commissioner for investigation under the Garda disciplinary code, and it may maintain oversight of progress in those investigations.

GSOC has the authority to make recommendations to the Garda Commissioner concerning disciplinary proceedings, and also to send a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions where it feels that the conduct under investigation may constitute an offence. Under section 103 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Ombudsman Commission is required to provide the complainant with sufficient information to keep them informed of both the progress and the results of an investigation.

GSOC is required under section 80 of the Act to submit an Annual Report of its activities in the preceding year to me as Minister, and these and other reports from the Ombudsman Commission are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. Copies of the 2014 Annual Report are available in the Oireachtas Library and on GSOC's website, www.gardaombudsman.ie. I am satisfied that the Annual Report contains comprehensive statistics in relation to the work carried out by GSOC.