Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has expressed concern about how MI5 will be held accountable for its actions in Northern Ireland when responsibility for issues of British national security in the North passes from the PSNI to the British security services.
This change will take place next year.
Mrs O'Loan, in her fifth annual report, yesterday said that the public would be better served if MI5 were compelled to disclose information in relation to complaints relevant to her office.
"It is vitally important that the police complaints system has the ability to access all relevant information and intelligence matters when investigating a complaint from the public," she said.
Mrs O'Loan explained that she was trying to create protocols and arrangements so that her office could access such information.
She said: "We are currently in discussion with the security services, who have no obligation to disclose material to us, and are attempting to reach an agreement which would facilitate our access to material held by the security services. Of course, it would be better if there was legislation which compelled the security services to disclose information."
Sinn Féin policing spokesman Gerry Kelly said that the British government should heed Mrs O'Loan's concerns about an enhanced role for MI5 in Northern Ireland. "It is unacceptable that an organisation which has set itself against policing and political change throughout the course of this process should be given an expanded role," he added.
