Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 May 2023
276. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the plans to provide for PSNI police officers to transfer into An Garda Síochána on a full-time basis at rank and file, sergeant level and inspector level. [20285/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 52 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) 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.
Under the proposed Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, section 50 deals with the appointment of persons to, and the suspension of persons from, ranks below the rank of Chief Superintendent, capturing the ranks of Garda, Sergeant and Inspector referred to by the Deputy.
This section provides that the Garda Commissioner may appoint, in accordance with regulations, persons to any rank below the rank of Chief Superintendent. The broad nature of this provision is intended to facilitate, through regulations, the implementation of a number of recommendations contained in the CoFPI report. These relate to direct entry routes into An Garda Síochána, at appropriate levels, for suitable candidates with experience from outside of the policing sphere or with relevant policing experience in other jurisdictions. In relation to the Deputy’s question, this would include members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
