Following the retirement of the Garda Commissioner yesterday, the Policing
Authority has immediately commenced consideration and research on the
process to identify and appoint the next Commissioner of the Garda
Síochána.
While section 9 of the Garda Síocháná Act 2005 sets out the
statutory requirements, this will be the first time that the new
legislative process is utilised. In practical terms, the Authority will be
working with the Public Appointments Service and the Department of Justice
and Equality over the coming weeks to agree the precise requirements for
the role and to formally initiate the selection competition.
The Authority’s chairperson spoke to the Minister for Justice and Equality
about the selection process this morning and they agreed that it is crucial
that a deliberate and considered process takes place to ensure the right
candidate is selected.
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.