The near-100 senior Garda officers transferred and promoted will all be in their new posts on Monday week, it has emerged.
Garda sources said while the scale of the changes was unexpected and unprecedented, the speed at which personnel are being transferred has also taken many by surprise.
The same sources said Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan was determined to immediately move officers around to fill key vacancies and also ensure the most experienced officers are in those areas where most change is set to take place.
Some of those being moved have been placed into posts created to drive the reforms arising from a major Garda Inspectorate review of the Garda’s crime investigation function, resourcing and its treatment of witnesses.
However, one aspect where reform has been less evident is in the number of women who have been promoted or transferred. *
Women’s promotion
Of the 40 promotions and 53 transfers unveiled on Thursday by Ms O’Sullivan, who is the first woman to ever lead the force, only two women were promoted and five transferred. Ms O’Sullivan has total control over transfers and promotions and the latter must be applied for.
Chief Supt Mary Wheatley is the only woman to be promoted to that rank in the reshuffle; she moves from Donnybrook Garda station in Dublin to lead policing in the Westmeath division from her new base in Mullingar.
Of the 34 personnel promoted to the rank of superintendent, the only two women are Supt Anne Cagney and Supt Marie Broderick. Supt Cagney is moving from Clondalkin station to the Child Protection and Human Exploitation Unit. Supt Broderick moves from her post in the Garda Commissioner's office to corporate affairs, both of which are in Garda Headquarters.
A total of 34 Garda members have been promoted from inspector to superintendent. In addition, 41 officers already at that rank have been transferred to new posts. There have been six officers promoted to chief superintendent, and 12 of those already at that rank are being assigned to new jobs.
While Ms O'Sullivan has total control over transfers, the public appointments service has a role in promotions, which must be applied for. *
