Gardaí are failing to co-operate with investigations into the force by the Garda Síochana Ombudsman Commission according to their latest annual report.

The Chair of the Commission Simon O'Brien says in the majority of cases Gardaí did not answer requests for information within the 30 day limit and with delays of up to 1 and a half years in some cases.

The Commission Annual Report found there were more than 2,000 investigations into Gardaí last year with 34% about abuse of authority and 27% about neglect of duty.

Simon O'Brien from the Commission says Gardaí are failing to respond to basic requests for information so he can do his job.

"We are at present unsatisfied (with) the issues of timeliness that are befalling us at this particular time. In the time that we've been in operation that has only been acceded to in a small amount of occasions" he said.

"We often wait far too long for that information, and that can delay our investigation - obviously with all the knock-on effects that that has" he added.

'There have been delays by the Gardaí'

Responding to the report the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan has issued a statement this afternoon accepting there have been delays and says a new office was set up last year dedicated to speeding up their responses.

"It must be accepted that there have been delays on behalf of An Garda Síochána in respect of some such requests for information. In order to ensure that such requests for information are serviced in a timely manner the Garda Commissioner has established a new process in 2012" he said.

"The process was developed with the agreement of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission whereby all requests for information are now made through a dedicated office under the control of Assistant Commissioner Human Resource Management. To facilitate this process a dedicated Garda email address was established by An Garda Síochána to receive and progress all such requests in a timely manner" he added.

Carmel Foley from the Ombudsman Commission says it is not good enough that Gardaí are putting their other duties ahead of these investigations.