New deputy Garda commissioner approved by Government

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

The appointment of Paul Cleary as a new deputy commissioner in An Garda Síochána has been approved by the Government.

Cleary has been acting as deputy commissioner for security, strategy and governance since September last year, and was made a permanent deputy commissioner on Tuesday, after an open competition.

The Dubliner joined the Gardaí in 1993 and worked in a variety of roles.

He began his career at Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station and was later a detective in Store Street.

His outstanding experience will be of immense value to the Garda organisation

Following time as a detective inspector in Kevin Street and later detective superintendent in West Dublin, he held leadership roles in a number of specialist units, including the national roads policing, technical and cybercrime bureaux.

Most recently he was assistant commissioner in the Eastern Region and the Dublin Metropolitan Region.

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said: “Paul has served in a variety of operational policing roles and led several successful serious crime investigations.

“His outstanding experience will be of immense value to the Garda organisation.”