An Garda Síochána

Thursday, 8 September 2022

Questions (1405, 1406)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1405. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number and rank of Garda officers that has been recruited from the PSNI on a full-time basis; the number currently seconded to An Garda Síochána from the PSNI; the number of Garda officers that have been seconded to the PSNI to include rank; the number of gardaí by rank that have transferred to the PSNI on a full-time basis; and the plans to further expand the rank of which transfer to and from the PSNI can occur. [42993/22]

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Catherine Murphy

Question:

1406. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of former PSNI officers that have joined An Garda Síochána and been promoted in the organisation since being promoted in the past ten years to date in 2022. [42994/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1405 and 1406 together.

As the Deputy is aware current legislation provides that nationals of an EU Member State, an EEA State, the United Kingdom or the Swiss Confederation are eligible to apply to join An Garda Síochána as recruits, or to join the Garda Reserve, through the normal competitions.

The Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) also provides for the direct recruitment, by way of competition, of members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) into An Garda Síochána at certain senior levels, i.e. Superintendent, Chief Superintendent and Assistant Commissioner.

There is also provision for the limited–term secondment of PSNI officers under certain circumstances.

The recruitment and selection process for these senior positions is undertaken by the Policing Authority.

The Garda authorities have advised that since 2015 a total of 8 former PSNI officers have joined An Garda Síochána of which 1 was promoted (from Superintendent to Chief Superintendent).

The table below sets out the current rank of all former PSNI officers who joined An Garda Síochána in the years between 2015 and 2022 (up to 6 September 2022).

Under the proposed Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, provision is planned for an extension of the eligibility for appointment to other ranks, subject to future Regulations.

Year	Rank
2015	1 Superintendent
2017	1 Superintendent
2018	1 Commissioner*, 1 Superintendent
2020	1 Assistant Commissioner, 1 Superintendent
2021	1 Superintendent
2022	1 Assistant Commissioner

*Appointed by Government following an open recruitment process.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table below sets out the number of secondments to and from the PSNI since 2012. There are currently no secondments to or from the PSNI.

Year	AGS to PSNI	Duration of secondment	PSNI to AGS	Duration
2012	1 Inspector	1 month	4 Sergeants	1 month
	3 Sergeants	1 month	6 Constables	1 month
	5 Gardaí	1 month

2013	1 Sergeant	1 month	1 Constable	1 month
	4 Gardaí	1 month

2014	Nil	N/A	2 Constables	2 weeks

2015	3 Sergeants	2 Weeks	4 Constables	2 Weeks
	1 Garda	2 Weeks

Question No. 1406 answered with Question No. 1405.