‘Critical’ Garda posts must be filled urgently, says O’Sullivan

Eight of the 17 senior Garda officers currently listed for promotion must be appointed immediately to fill “critical” roles, Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan has warned.

“You cannot continue to do the day job and implement the biggest reform project in the 94-year history of An Garda Síochána and keep the Garda and civilian structures the same as they were,” she said at the Garda College in Templemore.

Speaking after a passing-out ceremony for 145 new members of the force, the commissioner said she had said earlier in the year that the Garda Síochána would suffer unless “critical vacancies” were filled.

“I remain of that view, and we are working with the Department of Justice and the Policing Authority to make sure those vacancies are filled as soon as possible,” she said.

Seventeen officers are on a list waiting to be promoted by the end of the year. If that does not happen, the list will lapse and the Policing Authority will assume responsibility of a new independent promotions system.

It means any of the officers who is on the current panel to become superintendents, chief superintendents or assistant commissioners whose promotions are not ratified by the Cabinet by December 31st will have to reapply.

The last time a promotions list expired without being fully executed was in 1987. Currently, a senior post is vacant in the Special Detective Unit, along with senior posts in the country’s largest Garda districts.

When asked if she would support all of those 17 promotions taking place before the end of the year, Ms O’Sullivan said the current “critical vacancies” must be filled immediately.

“We need an assistant commissioner, two chief superintendents and five superintendents,” she said. Such appointments would lead to vacancies that would also have to be filled quickly, she said.

Senior appointments

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said she had been aware of three vacancies in the senior ranks, but had learned on Thursday that five vacancies had recently arisen at superintendent level.

“Of course I will be examining those critical vacancies,” she said. She has made 32 senior appointments during her time in the Department of Justice. However, she said promotion lists often expired without being fully used.

“Anybody who applied knew the panels were going to expire and it was made very clear once the transfer [of the promotions system to the Policing Authority] took place that the authority would run its own competition,” the Minister said.

Questioned about the Garda Representative Association (GRA) strike threat, Ms O’Sullivan said it would have seriously damaged the reputation of Irish policing if it had gone ahead a fortnight ago.

“It’s important we recognise people are hurt, people are angry and frustrated,” she said. “I’m grateful and I’m glad that nothing went ahead because I do think it would have changed the relationship and perception of An Garda Síochána in the community.”

Informed decision

The commissioner declined to say whether members of the GRA and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) should vote in favour of accepting the Labour Court’s recommendations.

Saying that she was sure all members would very carefully consider the detail of the offer, Ms O’Sullivan said: “I think everybody will look at that and that the right decisions will be made.”

Meanwhile, Ms Fitzgerald said: “I would hope that every Garda member up and down the country would familiarise themselves with the detail of the offer and make a very informed decision.”

The recruits’ class, which included Garda Gemma Crampsie from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, who will be stationed in Dundalk, is the sixth to pass out since recruitment began two years ago.

Her mother Garda Madeleine Crampsie is still serving in the force . The family believes the women are the first mother and daughter to serve simultaneously. She is one 26 women to have graduated. Ten of the class are foreign nationals, who are from England, Wales and the US.

A total of 90 are set to be stationed in Dublin, 19 in the Garda’s eastern region, 16 in the southern region, five in the southeast region, 10 in the northern region and five in the western region.