The new Garda Ombudsman Commission will be staffed by a High Court Judge, a former newspaper editor and a consumer affairs expert, it emerged tonight.
Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the three members of the Ombudsman Commission would be High Court Judge Kevin Haugh, Director of Consumer Affairs Carmel Foley and former Irish Timeseditor Conor Brady.
The three-person body is being established to replace the Garda Complaints Board.
Its own chairman Gordon Holmes admitted on many occasions that it did not have the power to tackle many of the serious allegations levelled against the force.
"It is vital that we have an independent complaints mechanism to maintain public confidence in, and support of, An Garda Síochána so I am delighted with the calibre of the people who have agreed to serve on the Ombudsman Commission," he said.
Mr McDowell said he expected the Ombudsman Commission to be operational within the next 12 months. It, along with the Garda Inspectorate, has been given 11.9m euro in funding.
The budget for the Garda Complaints Board has been cut by 55 per cent to €1.6 million, as it deals with its remaining cases.
Opposition parties have criticised Mr McDowell for establishing a three-person Ombudsman Commission rather than one similar to the Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan in Northern Ireland, and have also stated that it will not have the powers to automatically search police stations for evidence.