Laws to create a new independent Garda authority have been published this afternoon.
The laws will create a new level of management between politicians and the Gardaí - in response to the recent crises surrounding the Maurice McCabe allegations.
It follows heavy criticism of the close relationship between the former minister Alan Shatter, and the former commissioner Martin Callinan - which may have contributed to poor oversight of Maurice McCabe's complaints against senior Gardaí.
The government hopes the new authority will make sure that Gardaí cannot rely on political ties to avoid scrutiny of any of their possible failings.
But opposition figures say it could backfire - because it creates an extra layer of bureaucracy and could mean elected representatives have NO control, at all, over Ireland's police force.
