Move to replace retired Chief Supt ‘imminent’ - Harris

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said a decision on who will replace the now retired Garda Chief Superintendent for the Cavan-Monaghan District, John O'Reilly, is “imminent”.

The country's top cop made the statement when addressing the recently held meeting of the Joint Policing Committee in Cavan.

He also addressed concerns over the retirement of senior officers in the force, either already happened or due to occur, with over 100 years of policing experience combined due to be lost locally.

It includes Kilnaleck-native Chief Supt O'Reilly, who was elevated to the role in 2018, and had held a number of positions while rising through the ranks over a highly-decorated, 35-year career.

Cavan Superintendent James Coen is due to retire on November 20. The Galway native was appointed to the role in Cavan Town in 2012, having previously served in Ballyshannon and the Buncrana district, after first arriving in Cavan out of Templemore.

He had been due to retire back in March but stayed on an additional eight months to assist with policing during the ongoing Covid health crisis.

In neighbouring Co Monaghan as well, Supt in Carrickmacross Fergus Treanor retired after 35 years on September 1, the same date as Chief Supt O'Reilly.

Comm Harris' response came after Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly expressed concern that, since the beginning of September, three chief supers and 14 superintendents nationally had retired.

“It's a major loss of experience in the force,” said the Bailieborough representative, who also paid tribute to Chief Supt O'Reilly and Supt Coen for the courtesies extended by them to the Cavan JPC in the past, and their service to the district as a whole.

She was joined in those sentiments by Sinn Féin TD Pauline Tully and several others, including JPC chair John Paul Feeley (FF) who opened the meeting by complimenting the men for their respective efforts.

“I'm very aware of the vacancy that's left behind,” said Comm Harris of Chief Supt O'Reilly's retirement last month, before indicating that discussions had taken place with the policing authority with a view to securing a replacement for the region.

“We will move to fill that position,” stated Comm Harris, noting that the sanctioning was “imminent”.

He set out a challenge to other members within the organisation to step up to the mark and fill the roles being left behind by those officers' retirements.

Comm Harris stated that, in an organisation of nearly 15,000 people, the natural attrition of staff was a fact of life, and even suggested it was required to assist the force to evolve.

“We are a large organisation, there are always people coming through, and we are blessed there are very able people at every rank. But we constantly evolve, people join and people retire and, in between, we have people who seek progression within the organisation and into specialisations. That's just the nature of an organisation of nearly 15,000 people. It's part of life. I'm more than sorry to see people of experience go,” said Comm Harris.