Fine Gael spokesman on Justice in Seanad Éireann, Senator Martin Conway, has said the new Garda Commissioner should be appointed from outside the ranks of An Garda Síochána.
Senator Conway said, “Following the retirement of former Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan, I believe that it is in the best interest of An Garda Síochána that the Policing Authority begin a process of headhunting an individual with a proven track record of implementing radical reform.
“This process can run in tandem with an open competition- the clear objective being to find the right candidate to drive radical reform and restore public confidence in the senior management of the force.
“It is not uncommon in private industry that a headhunting process is used to find the right person for a senior position such as this as there are many who may not express an interest through an open competition.
“This has been a particularly difficult time for the ordinary men and women of An Garda Síochána who risk their lives on a daily basis to keep our communities safe.
“Many positive reforms have already begun, including the critically important establishment of the Policing Authority.
“What is needed now is a Commissioner with a proven record of reform to come from outside the ranks of An Garda Síochána.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.