Martin welcomes appointment of new PSNI chief

Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin today welcomed the appointment of Matt Baggott as the new chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Mr Baggott, currently of Leicestershire Constabulary, was named as the North's police chief last night.

"I congratulate Mr. Baggott on his appointment and wish him every success over the coming years," Minister Martin said.

"e will take up duty at an important time in the ongoing development and consolidation of policing and justice in Northern Ireland. In particular, I welcome his indication that the issue of community policing will remain an important priority in his own future work and that of the PSNI as whole."

Mr Martin also paid tribute to Mr Baggott's predecessor Hugh Orde, saying "significant progress" had has been made during Mr Orde's term towards securing widespread cross-community acceptance of the North’s new policing arrangements.