Deputy garda commissioner postpones retirement as not a single senior officer has applied to take her job

Ann Marie McMahon, deputy commissioner in charge of policing operations, had been due to retire on December 3.

However, the Sunday Independent understands she has now agreed to remain working until at least March, as the force struggles to attract interest in her “hugely important” role.

The sensitive position carries the responsibility for all policing and national security operations including the fight against organised and gangland crime, terrorism and espionage.

The role was due to be filled by the time Ms McMahon planned to retire on December 3.

She has now been asked, and has agreed, to stay until March or even April, It is understood, as the force struggles to fill her job.

The respected officer has been in charge of national security for the past six years.

The original closing date for applications for the role of deputy commissioner through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) was October 26. It was then extended to November 9 amid speculation that the quality of applicants had not been of a sufficient standard demanded by the role.

Security sources confirmed a number of high-ranking gardai collectively decided not to apply for the job until some of their financial concerns involving issues about their pensions were addressed.

One issue for senior gardaí is that officers are finding themselves obliged to pay large tax bills on their pensions after retirement.

It follows the introduction of new tax regulations 10 years ago which taxed public servants retiring with pension pots worth more than €2m.

But, it is claimed, another reason for the lack of interest in the deputy commissioner post is linked to low morale, which has now spread even within the force’s most senior ranks.

There are eight serving garda assistant commissioners, and around 40 chief superintendents nationwide, who would all be eligible to apply.

Six of the eight assistant commissioners are career gardaí, while the remaining two are former members of the PSNI who have never held any other ranks within the garda force.

The garda officers are seen as the most eligible candidates for the top job given the level of experience and corporate knowledge they have amassed during their careers as they worked at every level of the organisation on the way up the ranks.

“The lack of interest in the deputy commissioner post is palpable. It is very worrying indeed that some of the best qualified candidates haven’t even applied,” one source explained.

“Part of the issue is financial. But it goes a lot deeper than that. The belief until now was that the disillusionment and poor morale was only being felt by rank and file and mid-ranking gardai. Now we know it goes all the way to the top.”

A separate source said a number of high-ranking officers had discussions with one another and a number of them collectively chose not to apply as part of a “pact”.

“This was done to send a message about the disquiet in the senior ranks. It has been received loud and clear,” the source said.

The post of deputy commissioner policing and operations is usually a stepping stone for the office holder to become Garda commissioner, sources say. It carries a salary of around €190,000 a year.

The deputy also stands in for Garda Commissioner Drew Harris when he is on leave.

There is another deputy commissioner, Canadian-born Shawna Coxon. But she is in charge of non-operational issues including strategy, governance and performance.

Sources say that outgoing Deputy Commissioner McMahon is well-regarded by her peers.

At a meeting with the Policing Authority two weeks ago, she informed the body that an investigation had been launched by the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit into the alleged circulation of internal WhatsApp messages between gardaí that reportedly contain false information about two serving female officers.

At the meeting, Ms McMahon told the authority that An Garda Síochána was taking the “abhorrent” text messages “very seriously”, describing the incident as “completely unacceptable”.

The deputy commissioner did not confirm how many gardaí are being investigated about the “abhorrent” messages that were circulated.