THE MINISTER FOR Justice has agreed to promote 18 members of An Garda Síochána to Chief Superintendent and Superintendent positions.
Alan Shatter said the development means any further vacancies at these senior ranks will be “promptly filled”.
Speaking after today’s Cabinet meeting, he said the government is determined to support the force in its fight against crime.
“I am very pleased that the government today agreed with my request, sanctioned by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to make these senior Garda appointments and to ensure that strength at management is kept to the highest possible level.”
The four new Chief Superintendents and 14 Superintendents are in addition to the promotion of 82 gardaí to Sergeant positions and 34 members to Inspector positions on 28 March.
Drug Seizures
Addressing a question in the Dáil this evening, Junior Minster Dinny McGinley advised that €115 million worth of drugs were seized by gardaí last year.
During the first three months of 2013, drugs with a street value of €20 million have been confiscated.
The Deputy also noted “some very significant drugs seizures and related arrests being made by the Garda authorities this month”.
“These seizures are, in effect, preventing considerable volumes of drugs from ending up for sale in our communities, drugs which invariably bring with them a wide range of associated destructive consequences.”
He said the emergence in recent times of large scale cannabis cultivation sites across the county is a “previously unseen phenomenon” in this jurisdiction.
Operation Nitrogen, which is an intelligence led Garda Síochána operation targeting cannabis cultivation, continues to be “very successful in identifying and dismantling cannabis cultivation sites”, according to the department.
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