Nóirin O’ Sullivan has been appointed as the new Garda Commissioner on a permanent basis. Nóirin O’Sullivan is a native of Dublin who joined An Garda Síochána in 1981. She was made a Sergeant in 1992 before becoming an Inspector in 1997. She served as Superintendent, Chief Superintendent before being made Assistant Commissioner in 2007 and Deputy Commissioner in March 2011.

She was appointed by the government earlier this week after she was the only candidate recommended by a special selection committee set up by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). O’ Sullivan’s appointment follows interviews with a number of Irish and international candidates.

Nóirin O’Sullivan has served as Commissioner on an interim basis since her predecessor Martin Callinan retired in March amid controversy over revelations of calls in and out of garda stations being secretly recorded for decades. The government said that the PAS “special high-level selection committee” conducted a “global search and two rounds of interviews which involved both Irish and international candidates”.

The final round of interviews was held in recent days and involved the chair designate of the new Policing Authority,  Josephine Feehily. In a statement issued during the week, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said that Ms. O’Sullivan’s “experience and proven leadership capacity” leaves her “well-placed” to deliver on the government’s planned reforms of An Garda Síochána. GardaPost.com would like to congratulate Commissioner O’ Sullivan on her new role and wish all the very best for the future.