Gardaí seek two deputy chiefs

There will be intense competition for the two positions of deputy Garda commissioners, which are expected to attract applications from both within the force and outside the organisation.

The positions are being filled by open competition for the first time and follow the precedent in the appointment of the current garda commissioner. Until now the appointments were made solely by the Government.

The Public Appointments Service will operate the process, with an independent panel involved in the interview stages, at the end of which recommendations will be submitted to the Government.

The advertisement does not state the responsibilities of the the two positions, stating that this decision is one for the garda commissioner.

Currently, the two positions are deputy commissioner operations and deputy commissioner strategy and change management.

The latter position has been vacant since May 2013 with the retirement of Nacie Rice. The former position has been effectively vacant since last March when Noirín O’Sullivan was appointed interim Garda commissioner, and made formally vacant last November when she was appointed commissioner.

The two positions have been filled on an acting basis by Donal O’Cualain, assistant commissioner for the Western Region, who has taken strategy and change management, and John Twomey, assistant commissioner for Dublin Metropolitan Region and Traffic Corps, who has taken operations.

Operations is responsible for all operational policing. The assistant commissioners in charge of crime and security, national support services, traffic, and the six regional assistant commissioners all report to deputy commissioner operations.

Apart from the current acting deputy commissioners, other candidates being mooted for the jobs are Derek Byrne, assistant commissioner for national support services, which covers nationals units for serious crime, drugs and fraud, and John O’Mahoney, who is in charge of crime and security, which covers national security, criminal and dissident intelligence, as well as protection units.

Other applications may come from Britain or Northern Ireland and from within the Garda Inspectorate.

Deputy commissioner strategy and change management oversees the force’s corporate planning process, strategy, leadership, and training programmes. It is an extremely busy area in light of reforms being introduced in the wake of the various scandals and reports.

The jobs have an annual salary of €147,245.