Watchdog needs more powers ‘urgently’

The office of the Garda Ombudsman should be given more powers “as a matter of urgency”, including to investigate the commissioner of the force, according to the North’s first police ombudsman, Nuala O’Loan.

As the controversy over suspected surveillance at the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission continues, Ms O’Loan said its “powers really need to be enhanced so that the country does not find itself dealing with this situation again”.

She said it was important that the focus remains on the difficulties that office has in doing its work, adding that she had a number of “concerns” about their “totally inadequate” powers.