There ought to be a mechanism to enable a two-way share of "relevant information" between the Garda and the Garda Ombudsman in the Republic and the PSNI and the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland, Nuala O'Loan said yesterday.
The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland said bodies on both sides of the Border need formally to share information "in relation to relevant investigations".
"There should be a two-way process," she said.
"There is no such procedure at the minute and there ought to be." Mrs O'Loan said such interaction between the two police services and the relevant oversight offices should be formalised.
Her office believes that informal arrangements should be strengthened in established practice, The Irish Times was told.
However, it is understood that attempts to conclude such arrangements could be complicated by what have been described as "very tight laws on disclosure of information".