Déanann an Rialtas comhaltaí an Údaráis a cheapadh i ndiaidh próiseas roghnúcháin arna reáchtáil ag an Seirbhís um Cheapacháin Phoiblí.
Déantar foráil in Acht an Gharda Síochána (An tÚdarás Póilíneachta agus Forálacha Ilghnéitheacha) 2015 chun 9 gcomhalta ar an iomlán a bheith ag an Údarás – Cathaoirleach agus 8 ngnáthchomhalta. Tá comhdhéanamh reatha an údaráis i gcomhréir leis an gcuspóir reachtúil maidir le 4 fear ar a laghad agus 4 bean ar a laghad a bheith ina gcomhaltaí den Údarás.
Ceanglaítear leis an Acht go bhfuil taithí, cáilíochtaí, oiliúint nó saineolas agus eolas iomchuí ag comhaltaí an Údaráis i réimsí a bhaineann le:
- Cúrsaí póilíneachta
- Cúrsaí a bhaineann le cearta an duine & comhionannas
- Riaradh na hearnála poiblí
- Bainistíocht an bhoird & rialachas corparáideach
- Obair arna déanamh ag grúpaí deonacha le pobail áitiúil, go mór mór obair chun an tsábháilteacht a chur chun cinn sa phobal, an choireacht a chosc nó chun feasacht ar chúrsaí eile a bhaineann leis na seirbhísí póilíneachta a chur chun cinn
Níl cead ag comhaltaí de cheachtar de na Tithe Oireachtais, FPEanna, comhaltaí d’Údaráis Áitiúla, comhaltaí nó baill foirne atá ag fónamh sa Gharda Síochána, nó comhaltaí Choimisiún Ombudsman an Gharda Síochána nó Chigireacht an Gharda Síochána a bheith ina gcomhalta den Údarás.
Tacaíonn an Fheidhmeannacht leis an Údarás agus is éard atá i gceist leis an bhFeidhmeannacht ná grúpa den chroífhoireann agus is í an Príomhoifigeach Feidhmiúcháin Helen Hall atá i gceannas orthu.
Authority Members
Dr Elaine A. Byrne BL.
Dr Elaine Byrne is a practising barrister on the South Eastern and Dublin Circuits with a specialisation in Regulatory Law and Employment Law.
Dr Byrne has served as a member of the Authority since March 2021 and was appointed as Chairperson from 1 January 2024.
She has acted as a consultant on governance matters for the European Commission, the United Nations and the World Bank. Her book, “Political Corruption in Ireland 1922-2010: A Crooked Harp,” was published in 2012. She has served as a member of the Hamilton Review Group on Economic Crime and Corruption, and the Seanad Working Group on Reform.
Dr Donal de Buitleir
Dr Donal de Buitleir is Chairman of the Professional Standards Board of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He spent the early part of his career in the civil service ending up as Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. He worked for 20 years in the private sector (AIB Group). Since leaving the civil service he has chaired or been a member of Government Review bodies in the areas of local government, health, education and taxation and welfare policy. He was Chairman of the Low Pay Commission and a Board member of the Health Services Executive 2005-09. He is an Eisenhower Fellow.
Dr Deborah Donnelly
Dr Deborah Donnelly has had a long career in the public service in Northern Ireland working mainly in the areas of policing and criminal justice. Since 2012 she has worked independently specialising in governance and equality matters. She has worked with DFAT and internationally on issues relating to Women, Peace and Security. She is a Commissioner with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, she chairs Ark Housing Association and holds a number of voluntary roles.
Anthony Harbinson
Anthony Harbinson retired as Permanent Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs after twenty one years in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. During that time he worked mainly in the Department of Justice at various times having responsibility for delivering the Departments policy and legislation programme, improving performance of the criminal justice system, running the NI Courts and Tribunal Service and ensuring the development and implementation of the the framework for policing and community safety. He also spent nine of those years working in Whitehall for the Northern Ireland Office where he was responsible for designing and implementing the NI Public Prosecution Service and later he served as the Departments Director of Resources. Prior to joining the Civil Service he spent fifteen years working in the NI Health Service in various Director roles in Secondary Care and Primary Care and he started his career in the NI Electricity Service.
Paul Mageean
Paul Mageean is a qualified solicitor from Belfast. He spent some time in private practice and also spent almost ten years working as the Legal Officer with the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), the leading human rights organisation in Northern Ireland. More recently, he worked for Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland and was also the Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queens University Belfast. He is a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and serves as a Parole Commissioner in Northern Ireland and as a member of the Parole Board in the Republic of Ireland. He also chairs the Public Interest Litigation Support (PILS) Project which seeks to support strategic litigation in the human rights and equality field.
