The Policing and Community Safety Authority () is a statutory body in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

with certain powers of governance and oversight of the police and security service of the country, the

Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace") is the national police and security service of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards". The service is headed by the Garda Commissio ...

. It was established in 2025 as a successor to the Policing Authority and the Garda Síochána Inspectorate. The Gardaí is also answerable to the government through the

Minister for Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

, while complaints about the actions of members of the force can be directed to the

Fiosrú – the Office of the Police Ombudsman Fiosrú – Office of the Police Ombudsman is an independent statutory body in Ireland charged with oversight of the Garda Síochána, the national police force. It was established in December 2005 as Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (known ...

History

The Garda Síochána Inspectorate was established in 2006 under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Its stated role was to "ensure that the resources available to the Garda Síochána are used efficiently and effectively". Its insepections were either self-initiated, or requested by the Minister for Justice or the Policing Authority. The first Chief Inspector was former Commissioner of

Boston Police The Boston Police Department (BPD) is the primary law enforcement agency of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1854, the BPD is the oldest municipal police department in the United States. It is also the 20th largest law enforce ...

Kathleen O'Toole Kathleen M. O'Toole ( Horton; born May 9, 1954) is an American law enforcement officer who served as Chief of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) from June 23, 2014, to January 4, 2018. She was previously the first female commissioner of the Bos ...

. She reported directly to the Minister for Justice. From 2006 to 2009, O'Toole was supported by two other inspectors, Robert Olsen and

Gwen M. Boniface Gwenneth (Gwen) M. Boniface (born August 5, 1955) is a Canadian politician who serves as a senator from Ontario since November 10, 2016, sitting as a member of the Independent Senators Group (ISG). A former lawyer and police officer, she was ...

. Olsen was Chief of Police for 8 years of the

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

Police Department. Boniface is a former Commissioner of the

Ontario Provincial Police The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is the State police, provincial police service of Ontario, Canada. The OPP patrols Provincial highways in Ontario, provincial highways and waterways; protects Government of Ontario, provincial government buil ...

and was one of 3 female police commissioners in Canada when appointed in May 1998. She suggested that rank and file Gardaí were not equipped to perform their duties or protect themselves properly. She also suggested that routine arming may become a reality but dismissed the suggestion that this was currently being considered. In 2012, O'Toole was succeeded by Robert K. Olson. The Policing Authority was established in 2016, enabled by an amendment to the Garda Síochána Act 2005 by the Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015. The authority was led by a board of 8 ordinary members and a chairperson. The first chair of the new authority was Josephine Feehily, the outgoing chair of the

Revenue Commissioners The Revenue Commissioners (), commonly called Revenue, is the Irish Government agency responsible for customs, excise, taxation and related matters. Though Revenue can trace itself back to predecessors (with the Act of Union 1800 amalgamating ...

. The authority published reports on the progress of the Gardaí against its objectives. The potential of the former authority to meet the objectives claimed for it have been questioned, with one academic paper stating "It seems more accurate to describe it as an elaborate national advisory body rather than a national police authority. Despite the Irish government's initial endorsement of the latter, it is likely that it never intended anything other than the former." In 2025, under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, the Policing Authority and the Garda Síochána Inspectorate were dissolved and their functions were transferred to the newly established Policing and Community Safety Authority.

Functions

The authority oversees the working of the Garda force, including holding a monthly meeting with the

Garda Commissioner The Garda Commissioner () – officially known as the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána () – is the head of the Garda Síochána, the national police force of Ireland. The Garda Commissioner is appointed by the Government of Ireland (Cabine ...

. It promotes the improvement and reputation of the Garda. The body also has a role in nominating candidates for the roles of commissioner and deputy commissioner, and makes the appointments for the ranks of assistant commissioner, chief superintendent and superintendent, as well as certain senior civilian positions.

References

{{Authority control Garda Síochána 2016 establishments in Ireland Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Police oversight organizations