Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 March 2026
372. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress to date in respect of permitting PSNI and other UK officers transfer directly into An Garda Síochána at rank-and-file levels; the number of PSNI officers seconded to An Garda Síochána and vice versa; the number of gardai stationed abroad by location; and the number of gardai seconded abroad by location. [23280/26]
View answerSection 94 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act allows the Garda Commissioner, at the request of the Chief Constable of the PSNI, to appoint a member of the PSNI as a member of An Garda Síochána on secondment for a period of not more than three years.
There is currently no provision for the direct transfer on a permanent basis of serving PSNI officers at the rank of sergeant or below into An Garda Síochána. The position regarding direct transfer will, in consultation with our UK and Northern Irish counterparts, be kept under review. An Garda Síochána fulfils a unique unitary role as both the State’s policing and security service and Gardaí may be expected to perform either role during their careers.
It may be noted that any suitably qualified member of the PSNI can apply to join open positions at the rank of Superintendent and above within An Garda Síochána under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 (Appointment to the Ranks of Assistant Garda Commissioner, Chief Superintendent and Superintendent) Regulations 2025 and section 26 and 27 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
Any Regulations made under the Act will continue to honour Ireland’s commitments under the 2002 Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Police Co-operation.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that, as of the end of February 2026, there were no Garda members seconded to the PSNI.
There are seven Gardaí assigned to the Garda Liaison Officer Network, based in Colombia, London, Bangkok, Madrid, Paris, The Hague and Washington DC.
An additional six Gardaí are assigned to liaison duties with international bodies which includes INTERPOL in Lyon, EUROPOL in the Hague, MACO-N in Portugal and the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.
A further 14 Garda members are assigned to overseas duty with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. I am awaiting confirmation on the number of PSNI officers who may be on secondment in An Garda Síochána at present, and I will write to the Deputy when that information comes to hand.
