Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their contributions to this debate, for their support for the Bill and for facilitating its passage in the manner in which they have done. It is important and pleasing to me that we are at one in our objective of seeing the best possible candidate appointed to lead An Garda Síochána. As I said, I do not have any specific preference, nor does the Government, in terms of whether the person is an internal or an external candidate, or someone from overseas.

Whoever comes through the process, regardless of whether he or she is a member of An Garda Síochána, he or she will face a pretty substantial job of work. The person will be required to implement the major reform programme under way, to improve governance and performance management in An Garda Síochána and to continue to build managerial capacity and to enhance service delivery, while continuing to ensure that the organisation has the capability and capacity to secure the State and keep its citizens safe and protected. The person will also be required to implement any further strategic reforms to the sector generally that may flow from the work of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. In that regard, I listened attentively to the comments of Deputy Ó Laoghaire. From my engagement with the chair of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, Ms Kathleen O'Toole, I know she shares my concern that a careful deliberative process be undertaken and that the best possible candidate be selected. The commission has a wealth of experience and expertise to bring to the process being undertaken by the Policing Authority. As I have said, the approach that has been followed has allowed the authority to engage with the commission in respect of how it perceives the future role and responsibilities of the Garda Commissioner and this will assist in ensuring that the potential candidates have as much information as possible on the landscape that is the future of policing in our State.

I hope the Bill can pass all Stages as quickly as possible. The Policing Authority and the Public Appointments Service have done a lot of work on this. It is important that the competition be officially launched in the next couple of weeks and I know they are almost ready to do that. I look forward to completing matters at the earliest opportunity.

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