Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 April 2017
127. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deputy and assistant commissioners there are in An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16170/17]
View answerI am informed by the Commissioner that as of today the ranks of Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner within An Garda Síochána have their full complement within the agreed strength of the applicable Employment Control Frameworks of two and eight respectively. In addition, of course, the senior management team within An Garda Síochána includes the Chief Administrative Officer who is equivalent to the rank of Deputy Commissioner, and three Executive Directors with responsibility for the HR, ICT and finance directorates, and who are equivalent to the rank of Assistant Commissioner.
As the Deputy will be aware the Policing Authority assumed responsibility for appointments to the senior ranks of Superintendent, Chief Superintendent and Assistant Garda Commissioner with the commencement of the remaining provisions of the Garda Síochána (Policing Services and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 and related Regulations on 1 January 2017.
The first competition to be carried out by the Policing Authority, for appointment to the rank of Assistant Garda Commissioner, has recently concluded and the Authority established a panel of five candidates based on the order of merit determined by the selection board. The person placed first on the panel was appointed at the meeting of the Authority on 23 March 2017. A selection competition for appointment to the rank of chief superintendent is in train.
Clearly, this is a new beginning as it represents the first time that there has been an appointment to the senior ranks of An Garda Síochána by a statutorily independent body. It was also the first time that appointment to the rank of Assistant Commissioner was open to the ranks of Inspector and Superintendent in addition to Chief Superintendent in both the Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
