THE FIRST woman to be appointed an assistant commissioner in An Garda Síochána, Catherine Clancy, has unexpectedly applied to retire from the force.
Ms Clancy's retirement comes some five years before she would have been obliged to retire on age grounds. The early retirement of a senior officer is unusual.
Former assistant commissioner for Dublin Tom King retired early in 1997 to take up a senior security position at Dunnes Stores. His was the last early retirement from assistant commissioner rank.
Ms Clancy's departure in three weeks brings to five the combined number of assistant commissioner and deputy commissioner positions to be filled.The other four vacancies arise due to age related retirements.
The number of changes at the second- and third-highest ranks of the force is unprecedented in the modern era. The changes will be followed by at least two more retirements at assistant commissioner level next year.
Ms Clancy's surprise departure taken with the other planned retirements means six of the 12 assistant commissioners will have left the force in less than 18 months.
She is believed to have formally notified the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy on Monday of her intention to retire. She had recently returned from a month's leave.
She has 33 years service in the force, three more than required to retire with full pension entitlements. It was unclear last night if she is moving to a position in the private sector. Senior sources said if she has such plans she had not shared them. From Donegal, she is currently responsible for human resources across the Garda. She was appointed to assistant commissioner rank in 2003.
While another woman, Noreen O'Sullivan, has since been appointed assistant commissioner, Ms Clancy was the first to reach the rank.
No woman has ever served at the only two higher grades in the force; deputy commissioner and Garda commissioner.
As well as Ms Clancy's early retirement, the other vacancies in the top echelons of the force follow the age-related retirement of senior officers.
Assistant commissioner Martin Donnellan retired on age grounds in June. He was head of national support services and oversaw all the Garda's specialist units.
He failed in a High Court action that challenged the system under which senior officers were forced to stop working at 60 rather than 65, as is the case in many international police forces.
Assistant commissioner Ray McAndrew, who was in charge of the southern region, retired last month on age grounds. Deputy commissioner Peter Fitzgerald recently retired on age grounds.
One of the current assistant commissioners will be promoted into the position, leaving an assistant commissioner vacancy.
Assistant commissioner Al McHugh, presently in charge of policing in Dublin, and assistant commissioner Mick McCarthy, who is in charge of national support services, both retire on age grounds in 2009.
The front-runners to fill the current deputy commissioner vacancy are assistant commissioners: Nacie Rice, Crime and Security; Kevin Carthy, currently on secondment to the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe, Vienna; Louis Harkin, change management; and Eddie Rock, head of the Garda Traffic Corps.
Among the favourites to fill the vacant assistant commissioners positions are Chief Supts; Kevin Ludlow, Anglesea Street, Cork; Willie Keane, Limerick; John O'Mahony, head of the Criminal Assets Bureau; Mick Feehan, Store Street, Dublin; Kieran Kenny, Sligo; and Fintan Fanning, Pearse Street, Dublin.
The deputy commissioners position will be filled as early as next week. The assistant commissioners positions will be filled over the next two months.
Applicants apply for the posts and face a combination of interviews, selection by a combined civilian and Garda board and Cabinet approval.