Solicitor Shalom Binchy is among four new nominees to the Policing Authority. Shalom has 23 years’ experience as a lawyer, founding her own firm in 2002, which recently merged with Sheehan and Partners Solicitors.

Justice minister Helen McEntee also announced the appointment of practising barrister Elaine Byrne, who is also a journalist, author and former lecturer in law and political science.

Dr Donal de Buitléir, who has public and private-sector experience, including at a senior level in Revenue and AIB, has also been appointed, as well as Stephen Martin, who spent 34 years as a police officer in Northern Ireland, retiring in 2020 as PSNI Deputy Chief Constable.

Competition

The appointments follow an open competition through the State Boards process run by the Public Appointments Service.

Minister McEntee said: “The four nominees will bring a breadth of skills, knowledge and experience to their roles and ensure the continuing effectiveness of the authority in supporting excellent policing through effective oversight of An Garda Síochána.”

The Policing Authority is an independent agency established on 1 January 2016. It consists of nine members – eight ordinary members and a chair. 

Role

Its fundamental role is to oversee the performance by An Garda Síochána of its functions relating to policing services by carrying out a broad range of oversight, review and governance functions.

Five of the members were re-appointed by Government recently, resulting in four vacancies that needed to be filled.

Work is ongoing on a new Policing and Community Safety Bill to enhance the governance and oversight framework of An Garda Síochána, including the establishment of a new Policing and Community Safety Authority, which will encompass both the existing Policing Authority and Garda Síochána Inspectorate.