Senior gardai hiring process is halted over court threat
Garda row A CRITICAL batch of Garda promotions has been stalled after one officer threatened to take a court case to halt the process.
The Irish Mirror has learned a stay has been put on 410 moves from garda to sergeant and approximately 200 sergeants to inspectors.
The campaign is one of the biggest promotion lists in recent history and sources have said it is critical to the smooth running of the force.
A source added: “One candidate has indicated they will seek a High Court injunction stopping the competition.
“Legal advice received by An Garda Siochana is not to release the competition result pending a potential court action.”
Sources said it is understood the case focuses on alleged issues around selection for one of the recruitment phases.
The sergeants and inspectors competition is run in various stages, including a legal and procedures examination as well as an interview.
Gardai receive a rating or number and they are called for the next phase based on this ranking.
The lack of sergeants has been identified as a key human resources issue within the force in recent months.
Garda representative bodies have said it is causing a significant problem for frontline officers who are operating in a supervision vacuum.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors described the shortage in both ranks as a “crisis”.
Shortfalls at sergeant and inspector level have been particularly severe in the Dublin Metropolitan Region.
YESTERDAY
Dubliner Gregor Mcguckin lost the mast of his yacht during a storm leaving him 1,000km adrift from the nearest land in the Indian Ocean.
He had bravely gone to the assistance of another competitor in the around-the-world race.
Indian sailor Abhilash Tomy was badly injured when his vessel was damaged during a storm.
In a statement Mr Mcguckin’s team said the two are now onboard the French patrol vessel Osiris.
It added: “It initially rescued Indian sailor Abhilash Tomy who is reported to be conscious and talking.
“The vessel then sailed approximately 30 miles to safely evacuate Gregor Mcguckin. His condition is good and has reported nothing more than bumps and bruises.
“In an incredible show of seamanship, the 32-year-old Irishman managed to build a jury rig and hand steer his yacht Hanley Energy Endurance for the past four days to within 30 miles of his fellow competitor in order to be on site to assist with the rescue if required.
REMOTE
“Mcguckin did not declare an emergency for his own situation despite being rolled over and losing his mast.
“However, given the extremely remote location and the condition of his yacht, it was deemed the appropriate course of action to abandon his yacht under a controlled evacuation scenario as the opportunity arose.
“The considered move ensures in the event that his own situation deteriorated in any attempt to reach land in the coming weeks a second rescue mission would not be required.
“Gregor Mcguckin’s team, friends and family would like to express their sincere gratitude to all involved in the operation so far. Our thoughts are now with Abhilash and his family.”
The organisers revealed the mast of Mr Tomy’s yacht Thuriya broke off when it was rolled in a storm on Friday and the yachtsman suffered what he described as a “severe back injury”.
The 39-year-old Indian navy commander was “incapacitated on his bunk inside his boat” around 1,600km south-west of Perth in Western Australia.
He managed to build a jury rig and hand steer his yacht for the past four days
GREGOR MCGUCKIN’S TEAM