Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's answer. Appointing a chairman designate of the new policing authority should be considered as part of the process, as it might get over the concerns I raised. Below the level of Garda Commissioner there are several vacancies, including assistant commissioner and chief superintendent. The recently departed Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan, had been central in a number of interviews to form panels to fill a number of these vacancies. Bearing in mind where we are going with the independent policing authority and the appointment of a Garda Commissioner, what is the status of these vacancies? I asked this of the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Shatter. On our trip to Belfast and Edinburgh we learned that the independent policing boards are responsible for appointing the chiefs of police and their most senior people. We have vacancies in the most senior ranks of Garda under the Garda Commissioner. Will the interviews already undertaken be set aside? Will we begin a new competition for those vacancies, and who will run it?

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