Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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216. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if primary legislation will be required for the establishment of a national security co-ordinator; and if not, if proposals will be brought to Dáil Éireann for discussion and scrutiny. [17361/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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In December 2018, the Government endorsed the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and accepted all 157 key recommendations. I also published a high level plan, ‘A Policing Service for the Future’, which was agreed by Government and sets out the approach to implementation over the next four years of the Commission’s recommendations, which is being overseen by a dedicated programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach, as recommended in the Commission’s Report.

A number of recommendations related to the future development of Ireland's National Security framework including the establishment of a coordination function based in the Department of the Taoiseach, which is to be welcomed as a positive and logical enhancement to the existing system. 

As part of the implementation plan, the post of Director of the National Security Analysis Centre under the Department of the Taoiseach was advertised recently.  I understand the competition is being run by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Top Level Appointments Committee and the appointment will be made in conformity with the Civil Service Regulation Acts and the Public Service Management Acts, as is the case with all Assistant Secretary posts. This position will include the coordination of briefing and information generally already compiled by a number of relevant state bodies.

 It is not envisaged that legislation will be necessary to support this post but under the plan a review of national security legislation is scheduled to be carried out between January 2020 and June 2021.