Dubliner Justin Kelly (53) to become Garda commissioner after rise through ranks
's Deputy Commissioner, Justin Kelly, is to take over at the top of the force when Garda Commissioner
Drew Harris
retires at the end of August. Mr Kelly's appointment as the next commissioner was approved by Government yesterday after a recommendation from Minister for Justice
Jim O'Callaghan
.
Mr Kelly, a 53-year-old married father of two from south
Dublin
, joined An Garda Síochána as a recruit in 1992 and has, in recent years led the organisation's response to serious and organised crime. He will become garda commissioner just 10 months after being promoted to the rank of deputy commissioner, the second most senior position in Irish policing.
Mr Kelly, a marathon runner, has been appointed commissioner on a five-year contract, with a salary of €314,512. He was one of 14 candidates who applied for the role when an international recruitment process opened in May.
Mr O'Callaghan said Mr Kelly was an ideal candidate for commissioner, given his vast experience in frontline policing and management. The Minister spoke of his belief that 'people want to see more gardaí on the ground'.
READ MORE
He said he hoped Mr Kelly's commissionership would be marked by increased high-visibility policing on the streets and the jailing of serious criminals. He also commended Mr Harris 'for the excellent work he did' during his near seven-year term.
[
Who is Justin Kelly, the Garda commissioner in waiting?
Opens in new window
]
Mr Kelly's appointment was confirmed at a photocall at Government Buildings alongside Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Mr O'Callaghan and Mr Harris. However, he did not take questions from the media as he is not yet commissioner.
Mr Harris congratulated Mr Kelly on his appointment, describing him as 'an internationally recognised police leader'. He had 'built coalitions with other law enforcement agencies and partners that have disrupted and dismantled transnational organised crime gangs'.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors said
resignations and retirements from An Garda Síochána were currently high
, putting policing under pressure, with low morale. It called on Mr Kelly to take 'urgent action to stabilise the workforce and restore confidence in the future of the organisation'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
29 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Basketball Ireland confirm Ireland to compete v Israel in EuroBasket qualifiers
Basketball Ireland have confirmed that the Irish team will compete in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 qualifiers but will only face Israel on neutral ground again. Ireland are in Group A of the qualifiers alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel and Luxembourg, and begin their campaign with home games against Luxembourg and Bosnia and Herzegovina on November 12 and 15, followed by an away game against Israel on November 18. The home leg is due to take place on St Patrick's Day next year. There was controversy when the sides met twice last November in Riga in the 2025 qualifiers, with the Irish players staging a protest by refusing to shake hands with their opponents and standing for the national anthem by their bench. Several top players chose not to play in the fixture in Riga. In a statement released this afternoon, the body said that it considered all options, including a withdrawal from the qualifiers, due to Israel's continuing war on Gaza. However Basketball Ireland said that it faced a fine of €30,000 and possibly further sanctions - including disqualification from future competitions and additional financial penalties - had it chosen to withdraw from the qualifying campaign entirely before it started. Worse, the body would be subject to a €80,000 fine if Ireland fail to fulfil their first fixture with Israel - and that failure to play the return game would lead to an additional fine of up to €100,000, plus removal from the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 qualifiers and as the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2029 qualifiers. Basketball Ireland says that it engaged in 'extensive deliberation with various stakeholders' and is 'mindful of the dreadful humanitarian situation in Gaza', but claimed that it is the responsibility of FIBA Europe and other international sporting bodies to determine who is permitted to enter and play international tournaments. John Feehan, Basketball Ireland CEO (Image: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane) FIBA Europe's next board meeting is due to take place three days before the November qualifier, when there will be a discussion about potentially banning Israel from international competition. The statement added: 'Whilst we fully acknowledge the tragic events of October 7th, 2023, Basketball Ireland is deeply concerned with the ongoing suffering being faced by the people of Gaza and has raised this with FIBA Europe. We have also informed FIBA Europe that we will only face Israel in a neutral venue. 'Basketball Ireland has already experienced a 14-year absence from international basketball in the recent past. 'We have since worked tirelessly on and off the court to return to the highest level and the punitive sanctions from FIBA Europe should we elect not to participate in FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 qualifiers would be extremely damaging to Irish basketball and the women's game.' Basketball Ireland CEO, John Feehan, said: 'The board of Basketball Ireland have given lengthy consideration over our participation in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers. "Facing Israel in these circumstances is not a scenario we would wish, but there has been no change in Israel's status within sport, made by FIBA Europe, the IOC or any other major sporting body. "FIBA Europe have been quite clear to us that sanctions would be imposed on Basketball Ireland, should we elect not to play, which would be hugely damaging to the sport here. 'Naturally there is major concern about the suffering being inflicted on the people of Gaza, which is frankly unacceptable. We would implore all parties in the current conflict to return to peace and for humanitarian aid to be fully restored to Gaza.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
The 42
34 minutes ago
- The 42
Confirmed: Leagues can opt-out of summer soccer switch as FAI row back on key reform
THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION of Ireland have confirmed in a letter to its members today that grassroots leagues across the country will be allowed to opt-out of the proposed switch to an aligned calendar – colloquially known as 'summer soccer' – which the Association had flagged as a key pillar of their football pathways plan. The football pathways plan – which was led by former chief football officer Marc Canham but was the product of a self-proclaimed 11,000 hours of consultation and was unanimously endorsed by the present FAI board – is a blueprint for the overall structure of the sport in Ireland, and among its proposals was a change to the registration period at grassroots level, which would bring it into line with the professional game in Ireland. As it stands, Ireland is the only one of Uefa's 55 member nations which runs a different calendar for different levels of the sport. The football pathways plan proposed changing that, pointing to the fact that the current winter season sees games often postponed owing to inclement weather, with grassroots seasons across the country thus averaging 30 weeks per year. While the FAI unanimously endorsed the pathways plan – and the calendar switch within it – they decided to seek a mandate for it, and thus sent it for approval by vote among the FAI's General Assembly, where it was passed by a slim, 57% majority: 74 voted in favour, with 56 against. Advertisement FAI president Paul Cooke told delegates after the vote they had 'changed the face of Irish football.' The calendar switch was met by fierce resistance among some grassroots leagues across the country, however, with the Carlow and District Football League, for instance, insisting they would not adopt the change and that every league across the country should have the 'right of choice.' That opposition persisted after the vote, with the emergence of a putative breakaway organisation, titled the Grassroots Amateur Football Clubs of Ireland. Some clubs and leagues expressed fears that they would lose playing members if they switched to an aligned calendar, as it would pit them in opposition to GAA. Meanwhile, FAI board members had been briefed that any leagues resistant to the change could be disaffiliated from the FAI, which may have brought ramifications regarding access to State funding grants and portions of transfer fees for professional players owed under Fifa rules. Instead, the FAI board have now decided to offer leagues against the change the opportunity to opt out of the calendar switch. The 42 revealed last month that summer soccer was effectively 'dead in the water', and in a letter to delegates today, FAI president Paul Cooke confirmed the board have decided to allow leagues be exempted from the switch. 'The Board of the Football Association of Ireland has decided to implement an exemption process by application for leagues with regard to our Aligned Football Calendar', read the letter from Mr. Cooke, seen by The 42. 'The terms of reference of the exemption process will be agreed by the Board and communicated with members of the General Assembly in due course. 'The Football Pathways Plan continues to be implemented as part of the on-going development and future of Irish football whilst also respecting the implementation challenges that leagues may encounter in relation to the Aligned Football Calendar.' There are 22 leagues across the country currently playing under the aligned calendar, with another 47 playing the winter season. Twelve of those 47 previously indicated to the FAI a willingness to change to summer soccer.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Basketball Ireland to fulfill Israel qualifier but only at neutral venue
Basketball Ireland have announced they will fulfill their fixture against Israel in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 qualifiers, provided it is held at a neutral venue. The association admitted recently that they were "assessing next steps" having been drawn away the Israelis in Group A, along with home fixtures against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Luxembourg, in the qualifying stage which is set to begin in November. But in a statement released on Friday, Basketball Ireland confirmed they will take on Israel on November 18th, but only if it is played elsewhere. "After extensive deliberation with various stakeholders, the Board of Basketball Ireland has decided that Ireland will compete in the upcoming FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers. "Mindful of the dreadful humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Board seriously considered all options available, including a withdrawal from the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers. "Ultimately it is not individual federations, such as Basketball Ireland, who determine who is permitted to enter and play international tournaments, it is the responsibility of FIBA Europe and other international sporting bodies. "Whilst we fully acknowledge the tragic events of October 7th, 2023, Basketball Ireland is deeply concerned with the ongoing suffering being faced by the people of Gaza and has raised this with FIBA Europe. We have also informed FIBA Europe that we will only face Israel in a neutral venue. "Basketball Ireland has already experienced a 14-year absence from international basketball in the recent past. We have since worked tirelessly on and off the court to return to the highest level and the punitive sanctions from FIBA Europe should we elect not to participate in FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers would be extremely damaging to Irish basketball and the women's game. "Upon commencement of FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers competition, Basketball Ireland would have been subject to a fine of up to €80,000 should Ireland fail to fulfil their first fixture with Israel, while failure to play the return game would lead to an additional fine of up to €100,000 and removal from the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers, as well as the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2029 Qualifiers. "Should Basketball Ireland have elected to withdraw from the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers campaign entirely before it commenced, a fine of up to €30,000 would be applied, while FIBA Europe rules state that there is an option to impose further sanctions, including disqualification from future competitions and additional financial penalties." Basketball Ireland CEO John Feehan, added: 'Facing Israel in these circumstances is not a scenario we would wish, but there has been no change in Israel's status within sport, made by FIBA Europe, the IOC or any other major sporting body. "FIBA Europe have been quite clear to us that sanctions would be imposed on Basketball Ireland, should we elect not to play, which would be hugely damaging to the sport here. 'Naturally there is major concern about the suffering being inflicted on the people of Gaza, which is frankly unacceptable. We would implore all parties in the current conflict to return to peace and for humanitarian aid to be fully restored to Gaza.'
