Government moves to fill senior Garda positions

The Cabinet has moved to fill a number of vacancies in senior positions of An Garda Síochána, less than a week after commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan warned that "critical" roles within the force needed to be filled.

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said on Tuesday that the Government was “determined that there is no undue delay filling critical Garda vacancies”.

Ms O’Sullivan last week said eight of the 17 senior Garda officers currently listed for promotion must be appointed immediately to fill “critical” roles. She said the implementation of reform programmes depended on such vacancies being filled.

As well as making the eight promotions requested by Ms O’Sullivan, Ms Fitzgerald said an additional three appointments were also approved by Cabinet.

The appointments included one to the position of assistant commissioner, three chief superintendents, and seven superintendents. They will be made at national, divisional and district level.

“The Government is determined that there is no undue delay filling critical Garda vacancies and is determined to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a leadership team that can address the serious challenges it faces every day in maintaining law and order,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“So having consulted with the Garda Commissioner, I proposed to Government that the eight existing vacancies in the senior ranks be filled immediately. The Government has decided to make those appointments as well as a further three consequential appointments.”

The Policing Authority was consulted on the appointments and Ms Fitzgerald said the Government is determined that it would soon assume responsibility for making senior appointments.

“The intention is to bring the regulations to Government for approval in December and that the authority will take over the appointment function by January 1st,” she said. “Once this is done it will be a matter for the authority to undertake its own selection competitions for appointments to these ranks.”