Fianna Fáil has raised concerns about the possibility of splitting the Garda force in two.

A split between the policing and intelligence services has been raised as one prospect following a new forthcoming review.

The combination of the two services has been cited as one reason why it is difficult to hire people from outside Ireland for senior roles.

But Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins TD says he would have issues with someone from abroad coming in to run the security agency.

"It is a fact that it would unnerve every Irish person that an outsider from this country is in charge of state security," he said. "It would be a big, big step in my opinion.

"It would be a big departure, but it's something that I wouldn't rule out."

Root and branch review

The opposition will be asked for its input into a review of policing in Ireland.

The Tánaiste has briefed the Cabinet about plans to establish a panel commission to carry out the root and branch review.

It follows the revelations about fake breath tests and thousands of people wrongly convicted in court for road traffic offences.

Officials announced last month that major discrepancies had been discovered in the forces roadside breath testing figures – with almost one million tests recorded that never occurred.

Separately it emerged that thousands of court summonses were issued for offences that should have been dealt with by way of fixed penalty notice.

The Independent Alliance had already secured a guarantee for a major review of the force of the wake of the Garda whistleblower scandal.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny says that review will be wide-ranging.

He told the Dáil: "What the Minister is proposing is to engage here with this House - with the opposition spokespersons - in putting together a review that will look at the management and structures of all the functions of the Gardaí".