I hope we can come back to the House before the summer recess with proposals on the structure of an independent statutory Garda authority. It is a tight timeline to get it done before the end of the year but I hope we will have the observations and reflections of Members of the House before the House rises for the summer recess.

There will be a two hour debate tomorrow on the Guerin report, which will continue the week after next. Deputy Adams mentioned a number of other issues.

I inquired about new legislation to strengthen the operation of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, the Government's proposals for an independent Garda authority and details on the process of recruitment. I asked the Taoiseach about the terms of reference for the commission and he talked about the structure of it. They are two different issues.

The process is beginning in respect of the recruitment of the new Garda Commissioner. It will be a national and international open competition. How best to structure that will be devised by the Minister for Justice and Equality and her officials.

The intention is that we hope to have the process concluded and the a Commissioner appointed in or around the same time as the independent statutory authority is put in place. We must consider as part of the Government decision yesterday the amendments that are necessary to strengthen the Office of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. One particular section needs to be looked at and it is possible there will be amendments to other sections. We will consider that. The process is starting for all three. I have given indicative timelines to which I hope we can stick.

What about the terms of reference of the commission of investigation?

We need to consider what the commission of investigation needs to look at arising from the Guerin report. I am also discussing with the Minister for Justice and Equality how one deals with all the cases of a historical nature that are coming to light, some going back many years, that are outside the remit of the Guerin report. I am also considering whether we should wait and reflect upon the report by Mr. Justice Cooke in respect of GSOC and have both reports considered together. I do not wish to define terms of reference for the Guerin report until I see what the Minister for Justice and Equality recommends arising from the Guerin report itself, issues of a historical nature that are emerging from many sources and the conclusions of the Cooke report.

I wish to correct the record in terms of something the Taoiseach said. The Secretary General will not come before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality tomorrow. It will be next week at the very earliest.

My apologies.

I also wish to refer to the commentary of the Taoiseach on the letter from the Secretary General. Quite farcically, the Secretary General states he does not wish to impede the work of the Fennelly commission-----

I am sorry to interrupt the Deputy but that is not a matter for the Order of Business.

The Taoiseach should hear the information because it is clear he is not getting the information.

Deputy Mac Lochlainn can talk to him privately.

There will be a commission of investigation into the Guerin report, yet the Secretary General will come before us to discuss the matter. He will also discuss the handling of correspondence which is being dealt with by the Fennelly commission but he does not wish to talk about the reason the Garda Commissioner resigned or was sacked.

It is outrageous and he needs to-----

Does the Deputy have another question?

Will the Taoiseach address it to make sure that he deals with all the issues?

He cannot do so on the Order of Business.