An Garda Síochána Board

A board designate is appointed to An Garda Síochána commensurate with the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.

When the Act is commenced, the Board will provide support and guidance to the Garda Executive on matters such as organisational governance, human resource management, data protection, public administration and financial management.

Accountable to the Minister for Justice, the Board will oversee and approve corporate strategy and major organisational plans, such as risk policy, annual budgets and service plans. Other responsibilities include overseeing compliance of An Garda Síochána with our human rights obligations, promoting the Code of Ethics and managing the performance of the organisation. Full details of the Board’s duties can be found here.

Dr Donal de Buitleir, Chair designate, Garda Board

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 Service Executive 2005-09.

The other members of the Board will be:

Catherine Corbett was Chief Financial Officer with Deloitte Ireland from 2021 to 2023, and previously Head of Finance with EY (Ernst & Young) from 2015 to 2020. She has been a board member of National Children’s Hospital Foundation since 2014 and as chair since 2017. She is a chartered accountant.

Helen Faughnan was a senior official of the Department of Social Protection - PO from 2004 to 2010, and Assistant Secretary from 2011 to 2018, having served in various civil service roles over her career up until then.

Anthony Harbinson was Permanent Secretary of the NI Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs from 2021 to 2022, and Director of Access to Justice / Director of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunal Service from 2019 to 2021. He worked as a Director in the NI Department of Justice from 2010-2019 in the Safer Communities, Justice Delivery and Resources areas. He is a current member of the Policing Authority and a qualified accountant.

Claire Loftus worked in the roles of Chief Prosecution Solicitor and as the Director of Public Prosecutions in of the Office of the DPP from 2000 to 2021. She was previously a criminal solicitor with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office for 7 years She was recently appointed as an ordinary member of Cuan (DSGBV).

Sinéad McSweeney was Vice President of Public Policy and Philanthropy with Twitter since 2016. She was Director of Communications with An Garda Síochána from 2007-2012, and Director of Media and Public Relations with the PSNI from 2004 to 2007. She is a member of the board of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, was a member of the Irish Management Institute. She also worked as Managing Director of Twitter’s international headquarters in Dublin and was a member of its global team.

Jack Nolan was previously Assistant Commissioner in An Garda Síochána from 2011 to 2017, he led the Dublin Metropolitan Region and was Head of both Organisational Development & Strategic Planning and Community Engagement & Public Safety. He has extensive board experience and is engaged as a consultant for DCC on policing and social inclusion issues. He is an expert member of the Global Initiative Against Organised Crime and lectures in Business and Organisational Studies in Trinity College Dublin.

MichaelPatten was the Chief Corporate Affairs Director and Chief Environmental, Social and Governance Officer with Glanbia plc from 1995-2003 and 2014-2023. He was Group Corporate Relations Director and the Global Public Affairs Director with Diageo plc from 2004-2014. He is a Non-Executive Director for Irish Management Institute since 2021 and previously for Tirlán DAC (formerly Glanbia Ireland DAC) from 2017-2021.

Suzanne Tracey is Chief Technology Officer with the fibre broadband provider Siro since 2016. She was previously the Transformation Programme Director with Vodafone Group Technology in London from 2014 to 2016. She sits on the Fibre to the Home Council of Europe Board since 2022 and has been a board member with Vodafone Group Services since 2009.