Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am conscious that we are a bit behind time this afternoon so I will endeavour to make my comments as brief as possible. I very much welcome the appointment of two new commissioners to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. I do so for three reasons. One, as others have mentioned, it is very good that the competition was run exclusively through the Public Appointments Service, PAS. The competition was free, fair and fully transparent. The more State appointments that are pushed through this pathway the better the country will be in the long run. Second, as the Minister of State outlined, the two individuals recommended are both eminently qualified and suitable. One has a background in human rights and is a former children's ombudsman and the second has had a life-long career in front-line policing at the highest level. On an individual basis, they are very good nominees but third, and perhaps most important, we should look at these nominees as a pair rather than just as individuals. Populating a commission such as this is a very delicate balancing act and on this occasion the Public Appointments Service has got it just right. Having an individual with experience of front-line policing will ensure that members of An Garda Síochána will be very fairly assessed in the performance of their duties from a policing perspective, and there is another person with a background in human rights who will allow the public to have complete confidence in An Garda Síochána in the performance of its duties. The PAS got the mix just right from the perspective of gender and expertise which is a very good thing. I welcome both nominees to GSOC and will support both.

I wish the outgoing commissioners, Dr. Kieran Fitzgerald and Patrick O'Sullivan, the best. I thank them for their service in recent years and wish them well in their future careers.

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