Appointment to the ranks referred to by the Deputy is governed by legislation, with appointments to the ranks of Superintendent, Chief Superintendent, and Assistant Commissioner open to members of An Garda Síochána and to officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland with suitable experience. Appointment to the position of Deputy Commissioner is by way of open competition.
I am informed that, since 2018, the following appointments from external police services have been made at the relevant ranks.
2018 1 Superintendent (PSNI)
2020 1 Assistant Commissioner (PSNI) and 1 Superintendent (PSNI)
2021 1 Superintendent (PSNI), 1 Deputy Commissioner (Toronto Police Service)
2022 1 Assistant Commissioner (PSNI).
The below table provides figures, as published by the Policing Authority on their website, of the appointments to the relevant ranks (including those from external candidates above). Information is presented quarterly as published.
|
Qtr
|
Super
|
C/Super
|
A/Comm
|
D/Comm
|
Total
|
|
Aug-Oct 2018
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
11
|
|
Nov 18 - Jan 2019
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
|
Feb - April 2019
|
15
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
17
|
|
May - July 2019
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
|
Aug - Oct 2019
|
9
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
|
Nov 19 - Jan 2020
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
Feb - Apr 2020
|
11
|
2
|
3*
|
0
|
16*
|
|
May - July 2020
|
10
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
15
|
|
Aug - Oct 2020
|
20
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
22
|
|
Nov 20 - Jan 2021
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
Feb - Apr 2021
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
6
|
|
May - July 2021
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
Aug - Oct 2021
|
13
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
16
|
|
Nov 21 - Jan 2022
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
|
Feb - Apr 2022
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
|
May - July 2022
|
5
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
11
|
|
Aug - Oct 2022
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
0
|
16
|
|
TOTALS
|
125
|
31
|
10*
|
2
|
168
|
*1 Assistant Commissioner appointed on an Acting basis, subsequently appointed permanently to the position in 2021 (actual total appointments to Assistant Commissioner rank is therefore 9).
Therefore, out of 168 appointments to the ranks concerned, 162 (96.5%) were serving members of An Garda Síochána and 6 (3.5%) were members of outside police services.
The percentage breakdown of appointments of successful candidates by rank is provided below.
|
Rank
|
Super
|
C/Super
|
A/Comm
|
D/Comm
|
|
Within AGS
|
97.6%
|
100%
|
89%
|
50%
|
|
External service
|
2.4%
|
0%
|
11%
|
50%
|
It should be noted that where a member joins from the Police Service of Northern Ireland at the rank of Superintendent they are eligible, so long as they fulfil all other criteria of the relevant competition, to apply for promotion to the ranks of Chief Superintendent and above. Such candidates would be considered to be internal to An Garda Síochána for such promotions.
