The deadline for applications to become the next commissioner of An Garda Síochána has passed and the longest-serving senior members of the force are understood not to have applied for the job.
None of the serving assistant commissioners who have spent their entire policing careers in the Garda have applied, sources said, with this in large part due to what they see as an onerous tax exposure on their pensions should they succeed Drew Harris and serve the full five-year term.
The Irish Times understands Deputy Commissioner Justin Kelly has applied for the position, while sources said Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon has also done so.
Ms Coxon declined to comment on the matter when asked by journalists at an event in Dublin last week. She was appointed deputy commissioner in April 2021, having previously been deputy chief officer in the Toronto Police in Canada.
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The recruitment process is confidential, meaning a list of the candidates who applied will not be disclosed.
The advertisement for the job stated that applications were welcome from candidates with “policing, security or civilian backgrounds”.
But Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan recently said he would be unwilling to recommend to Government any candidate for the commissioner job who does not have previous policing experience.
The deadline for applying for the position passed last Thursday and Mr O’Callaghan said he expected a candidate would be selected by mid-July. He said his intention was that the new commissioner would be in place to take over from Mr Harris when he retires on September 1st.
The recruitment process is being run by Public Jobs, formerly the Public Appointments Service. When a successful candidate emerges from that process, they must be recommended by Mr O’Callaghan to the Cabinet for final approval.
[ Outgoing Garda Commissioner’s legacy one of ‘mistrust and fear’, says GRA headOpens in new window ]
In reply to queries, the Department of Justice said the advertisement for the job stated a “track record of leadership and success in a policing role is desirable”.
It added that any candidate not currently serving in the Garda – including those from other jurisdictions – would be “required to attest as a member” before taking up the role of commissioner.
They would also be required to “make a solemn declaration to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the State” in order to “provide strong reassurance of commitment to our nation”.
Mr Harris was appointed commissioner in October 2018 for a five-year term, which was extended by a further two years.
More recently, he was offered a second extension, of three months, to facilitate the completion of the recruitment process to find his successor.
That competition was delayed because the Garda oversight agencies with a role in preparing the process – the Garda board and the Policing and Community Safety Authority – did not commence operations until April 1st following a reconfiguration of Garda oversight bodies.
