LEGISLATION to underpin the biggest reform of the Garda Síochána in 80 years, making the force accountable to the public, will be published later this month by the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell.

The Garda Bill, which has been in preparation for the past year, will redene the role of the commissioner, making him answerable to a Dáil committee.

The bill will also make the gardaí responsible to local authorities to bring policing closer to the community.

Another important provision of the bill will be the establishment of a three-person inspectorate which will investigate complaints from the public. This will also have the power to initiate investigations of its own.

The bill will set out a performance and accountability framework for the gardaí which will involve the minister setting annual policing objectives and approving proposals prepared by the commissioner for implementation of these plans.

The commissioner will be expected to produce a three-year 'corporate strategy statement' to be approved by the minister and an annual policing plan to carry the strategy into effect.

This will involve the rating of garda performance from which the commissioner will report to the minister on progress in achieving policing objectives.

A new police policy and planning forum made up of senior department and garda representatives will also be established.

The bill will also contain provisions to transfer the role of accounting ofcer to the commissioner, which oversees the money allocated to the gardaí by the Dáil.

This transfer will take effect when the government is satised that the performance and accountability framework itself is in place.

This will mean that, as well as having an enhanced reporting relationship with the minister for garda performance, the commissioner will be accountable directly to the Public Accounts Committee of the Dáil for the manner in which he manages the resources available to him.

A civilian director of nance with a team of support accountants, recently recruited to the gardaí, will support the commissioner in this new role.