The highest-ranking civil servant in An Garda Síochána is to leave his position.

Chief administrative officer Cyril Dunne is to vacate his position at the end of the year to take up a new role in CIÉ.

Mr Dunne was criticised in the report by Mr Justice Nial Fennelly for failing to inform the then Garda commissioner Martin Callinan about the recording of telephone calls in and out of Garda stations.

The interim report by the Fennelly commission found Nóirín O’Sullivan, who was deputy commissioner at the time, was informed of the issue on October 17th, 2013.

Recordings

She was told of the discovery of recordings in Bandon Garda station relating to the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder inquiry. Ms O’Sullivan immediately sought information from the Garda’s chief administrative officer, Mr Dunne, and head of information and communications technology

Liam Kidd

, another civilian working for the force.

The commission noted that deputy commissioner O’Sullivan and chief administrative officer Dunne were “considered of equal rank”.

However, neither of them informed Mr Callinan for a number of months despite being aware of the situation.

A Garda source insisted this had nothing to do with Mr Dunne’s departure.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet yesterday approved the promotion of two assistant commissioners in An Garda Síochána.

John Twomey and Dónall Ó Cualláin will be appointed deputy commissioners.

Mr Ó Cualláin was in charge of the Western Region and Mr Twomey oversaw the Dublin Metropolitan Region.