GSOC receives sanction for significant staff increase

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission today welcomes confirmation from the Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan TD that GSOC is to get the much-needed additional resources sought by the organisation.

GSOC submitted a detailed business case, outlining the urgent need for 37 additional staff, to the Department of Justice and Equality, earlier this year. The Department supported GSOC in making its case to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER).

DPER has now sanctioned the filling of all 37 posts plus five posts sought by GSOC for its Protected Disclosures Unit.

Of the total of 42 posts which GSOC has now been authorised to fill, five are in the PD Unit, 24 are in the Operations (Investigations and Casework) Directorate, with the remaining 13 in Administration (including Human Resources, ICT, Data Protection, and Finance).

Welcoming the decision by DPER to sanction the posts, GSOC Chairperson Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring thanked Minister Flanagan and his officials for their support.
“GSOC sees the sanction for increased personnel as real political support for Garda oversight. A strengthened workforce will allow GSOC the ability to fulfil and expand its statutory remit and meet the needs of the community,” she said.

“Independent and fair oversight builds and supports public trust in the Garda. Ultimately, the aim of GSOC is the public’s aim—to ensure a Garda service that serves the public, respects human rights and keeps the community safe.”

GSOC currently has a staff complement of 92 and, working with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) expects to begin the process of recruiting additional staff immediately. Some vacancies will be filled from specialist panels currently in place.

The cost of the new staff is to be met from GSOC’s existing budgetary allocation for 2018 and from the increased allocation secured in Budget 2019.

GSOC Communications Unit