The Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy, says he has no problem with being answerable to a Dáil Committee for the actions of the force or with any of the forthcoming Garda Bill.
In his first public comments on the death of Richie Barron, Mr Conroy said he informed the families when requested of the re-designation of the investigation from a murder to a hit-and-run.
As regards the two-year time differential, he said that the investigation and the re-designation of crimes was a matter for the district officer and not Garda Headquarters.
He said such matters may not necessarily arrive on the Commissioner's desk.
He also said the Garda Síochána were not afraid of accountability and would face any charges put to it.
The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, also restated his confidence in the Garda Commissioner and said there is no tension between the two of them.
Mr McDowell said the talk of resignation was malicious, unfounded and rumour-mongering by people who did not know what they were talking about.
They were speaking at the signing of a new code of practice for cash-in transit companies between the banks, the security companies and the gardaí.
The code introduces higher levels of security for cash deliveries, including end-to-end deliveries where money is moved from one secure area to another without security staff being able to access it.
