Policing Authority chief Josephine Feehily has pledged to exercise the independence of the agency to the “fullest extent” permitted under its legislation.

The Oireachtas Justice Committee plans to question the chairperson-designate of the new Policing Authority in the coming weeks.

The procedure being used by the Government to appoint the head of the new independent policing authority is at odds with the systems used for equivalent bodies in Scotland and in the North.

The Oireachtas justice committee is to conduct special sessions on policing, starting in the next Dáil term.