Garda deputy commissioner candidates must have ‘current policing experience’

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly speaking to the media at the Garda College in Templemore. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Potential candidates for the second-most powerful rank in An Garda Síochána must have “current policing experience”, according to the job advertisement.

The stipulation is thought to have been included to exclude applications from people who have been retired from policing for some time, as well as individuals without policing experience.

The Irish Examiner understands that previous advertisements for deputy commissioner have attracted applications from both senior executives who were not police officers and police officers who had been retired for some time.

The vacancy for one of the two deputy commissioner positions follows the announcement that Shawna Coxon will retire in November.

Ms Coxon, who is Deputy Commissioner, Policing, retires after 30 years working in the Irish and Canadian police forces.

The job advertisement, which has been published on publicjobs.ie, states: “In order to fulfil the role, the successful candidate will be a senior and experienced police officer, currently serving in a senior policing leadership role with a minimum of two years’ service at Assistant Commissioner grade or equivalent.

“With a proven track record of working at a strategic level, including the leadership of policing and law enforcement officers and staff at senior organisational level. The candidate will also have a keen understanding of, or the capacity to acquire, the particular considerations of policing on the island of Ireland.”

‘Hit the ground running’

It is thought that the conditions have been inserted following discussions with Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, who began his tenure last September.

Part of the reasoning behind the decision is to have a current senior police officer who is ready to “hit the ground running” on appointment, sources said.

The vacancy means that the three most senior positions in the organisation will be held by recent appointees. The second deputy commissioner, Paul Cleary, was appointed last May.

The advertised position has a salary of just over €200,000. The closing date for applications is September 10.