Mr. Padraic Jones:

I thank the Deputy. Certainly, in terms of oversight, the Commissioner has previously used the phrase "steel sharpens steel". In terms of having an oversight role, that certainly helps us to focus on the needs at hand, in particular, in this instance, the needs of people with disabilities, as we prepare our policing plan for the following year. For the 2024 policing plan, the draft would have been forwarded to the Policing Authority in advance of publication. At that stage, the Policing Authority has an oversight role and can contribute to and make observations on it and then return it to An Garda Síochána for us to develop those observations and take them on board if it is possible to do so. Subsequently, as the policing plan takes shape throughout the course of the year, we are required to report quarterly on it. Every quarter, the Commissioner will reply to the Policing Authority outlining how we are trending in terms of achieving the targets and milestones and the outcomes that are set out in the policing plan. Notwithstanding all of this, he also goes before them every month to meet in public session.