Being a Deputy Commissioner is a rewarding and challenging senior leadership role, in a unique environment with the opportunity to be at the forefront of a transformation of policing in Ireland. This is an opportunity to support the Garda Commissioner in leading and shaping the police service, to meet the internal and external challenges of the fast-moving environment in which policing and security services operate in the 21st century.
In order to fulfil the role, the successful candidate will be a senior and experienced police officer, with a proven track record of working at a strategic level, including the leadership of policing and law enforcement officers and staff at senior organisational level. The candidate will also have a keen understanding of, (or the capacity to acquire), the considerations of policing on the island of Ireland.
Main Duties of the Job:
The successful candidate will:
Actively support the Garda Commissioner in leading the Garda Síochána organisation, communicating a clear direction, ensuring required cultural shifts, setting an example and expectations in relation to integrity, values, ethics, high standards of professional conduct and respect for human rights and diversity to enable an effective and professional policing and security service;
Provide strategic direction on identifying and managing threat, risk and harm and developing organisational and policing and security strategies and responses;
Take a leading role in the setting of policing plans to deliver an effective, efficient, visible and responsive policing and security service, in an independent and impartial manner, that respects human rights and diversity, is victim focused and supports the proper and effective administration of justice;
Work collaboratively across government, statutory agencies and community partners to design and deliver initiatives that enhance community safety and reduce harm;
Set, and ensure high standards of behavior, performance and delivery in relation to policing and security priorities, based on defined performance indicators in the annual policing plan;
For a full list of duties and essential requirements please see the competition information booklet. Information About the Organisation:
An Garda Síochána is a largely unarmed, community-based policing and security service comprising more than 18,000 employees with over 14,250 Gardaí (sworn officers), 3,600 Garda staff (civilian) and 300+ Garda Reserves working in four regions across the State and in a number of national, regional, specialist and administrative units.
The 2026 budget for An Garda Síochána is over €2.59 billion.
The Garda mission is “Keeping People Safe” and its statutory functions are set out in Section 9 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, i.e. to provide policing and security services for the state with the objective of:
Preserving peace and public order;
Protecting life and property;
Vindicating the human rights of each individual;
Protecting the security of the State;
Preventing crime;
Preventing harm to individuals, in particular those who are vulnerable or at risk;
Bringing criminals to justice, including by detecting and investigating crime;
Protecting and supporting victims of crime; and
Regulating and controlling road traffic and improving road safety.
Benefits:
See Information Booklet
Selection Process Details:
Further details on this significant opportunity including information on how to apply and a full list of essential requirements are available on www.publicjobs.ie
The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 19th March 2026.
If you feel you would benefit from a confidential discussion about this role, please contact Ms. Niamh McGuinness at niamh.mcguinness@publicjobs.ie
For more information and to apply, visit: https://bit.ly/APJ_Ad_DCGS
We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.
