New Garda chief ‘a popular choice within the force’

THE Cabinet yesterday appointed Fachtna Murphy as the next Garda commissioner.

Mr Murphy, currently deputy commissioner, will take over the position when the current Garda boss Noel Conroy retires in November.

A native of Timoleague in Co Cork, Mr Murphy is 40 years in the force this year, having joined in 1967.

Married with four children, he was due to retire last June when he reached the official retirement age of 60. But he was given a two-year extension by the Government, the first time such an extension had ever been granted.

This was done to ensure experience and continuity at the top of the force. Not only is the commissioner retiring in November, but the second deputy commissioner Peter Fitzgerald is due to leave in the next six months.

Mr Murphy has extensive experience both in regular uniformed policing and in various detective and specialist units.

He was the first head of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), when it was set up in August 1996, in the wake of the gangland murder of journalist Veronica Guerin two months previously.

For the past four years he has been in charge of operational policing in the force, with overall responsibility for policing in the regions and of national units tasked with combating crime, including organised crime.

He has been directly responsible for major initiatives to target gangland crime, such as Operation Anvil.

Announcing his appointment yesterday after the Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Brian Lenihan said: “I wish to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to deputy commissioner Murphy on his appointment and to wish him well in his new post.

“He has given many years service to an Garda Síochána and is committed to the ongoing change seen in recent times.

“Since July 2003, the commissioner designate has been deputy commissioner with responsibility for operational policing, with the regional assistant commissioners and the assistant commissioners for crime and security and had national support services reporting directly to him.”

His appointment did not come as a surprise and was widely welcomed yesterday.

“He is widely respected in the force. The fact that he was appointed head of CAB when it was created in a time of crisis in the country, showed how much he was respected in the force and in government,” said one senior source.

Mr Murphy holds a bachelor of arts degree in police management and a diploma in management and industrial relations. He has studied policing methods overseas at both the Police Training College, Bramshill, England, and at the FBI Academy, Quantico, USA.

Deputy commissioner Martin Callinan, appointed last January with responsibility for change management and strategy, is favourite to take over Mr Murphy’s position, and perhaps act as commissioner in 2009.

Organised crime, anti-social behaviour and overseeing further organisational change in the force will be among the major issues confronting the new commissioner.