The Government has outlined its proposals for a new body called the Garda Inspectorate which will act as watchdog over An Garda Siochána.
Addressing today's Irish Council for Civil Liberties seminar, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Mr Wille O' Dea, said the new body would have comprehensive powers of investigation, equal to those that might be given to an Ombudsman.
The Human Rights Commission have argued that the proposed Inspectorate would not have enough independence from the Gardaí to carry out its functions properly.
However, Mr O'Dea assured the ICCL, that the Human Rights Commission would be fully consulted before the Bill which will establish the Inspectorate is published.
Mr O'Dea said: "I am aware of the Human Rights Commission's views on this matter. I assure you that the Minister has carefully studied their proposals for a Police Ombudsman published last December, and he has noted their view that an Ombudsman would represent a more effective complaints mechanism.
"I should first of all say that the Commission will have the opportunity of examining the proposals in greater detail as soon as the Minister obtains the approval of the Government for the drafting of the Bill."
The Bill is also expected to contain comprehensive restatement of the functions of An Garda Síochána, and of its relationship with Government, and will contain a "significant reforming measure", aimed at improving police accountability.
Mr O'Dea also said that the establishment of the Inspectorate should not be taken as a criticism of the existing Garda Complaints Board, which can only operate under existing law.
However, change in present arrangements is necessitated, because the new body would have considerably more powers than the Police Complaints Board and, as a result, new legislation was required.
"The Minister intends the Inspectorate to have comprehensive powers of investigation, fully equal to those that might be given to an Ombudsman," Mr O' Dea added.
"It is true that at this stage the Minister sees advantage in the Inspectorate comprising perhaps three persons, supported by appropriate staff, rather than simply one person as would be the case with an Ombudsman, but this surely cannot pose a difficulty of principle for those who support the idea of an Ombudsman."
He also said that the concerns of the Human Rights Commission over the inspectorate relates to the proposed dual role of the Inspectorate, whereby it will not only examine complaints but also examine Garda practices and procedures would be taken into account in the Bill.