An Garda Síochána Board

The Garda Board was established on the 2nd April 2025 following the commencement of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan. The Board will enhance internal governance at An Garda Síochána and is accountable to the Minister for the performance of its functions. The Board does not have any role in relation to operational policing matters.

The Board comprises a Chairperson and 8 ordinary members.

Members of the Board

Name                                                  Term

Dr Donal de Buitleir (Chair)               4 years

Anthony Harbinson                             3 years

Catherine Corbett                               3 years

Claire Loftus                                       4 years

Jack Nolan                                          4 years

Helen Faughnan                                  3 years

Michael Patten                                    4 years

Sinead McSweeney                            3 years

Suzanne Tracy                                     4 years

Dr Donal de Buitleir 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, pensions and taxation and welfare policy. He was formerly a member of the Policing Authority, Chairman of the Low Pay Commission and a Board member of the Health Service Executive.

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 former Board member of the Policing Authority and a qualified accountant.

Catherine Corbett was Chief Financial Officer with Deloitte Ireland, and previously Head of Finance with EY and Ivor Fitzpatrick & Co Solicitors. She is currently serving as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Fáilte Ireland, the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Zero Waste Scotland, where she also chairs the Audit & Risk Committee. Catherine previously served as a board member of the National Children’s Hospital Foundation in various roles including Chair of the Board, Chair of the Audit & Finance Committee and member of the Investment Committee.

Claire Loftus was Director of Public Prosecutions from 2011 to 2021. She was a prosecutor from 1993, including serving in other senior roles in the DPP's Office, as Chief Prosecution Solicitor 2001 to 2009, and as Head of the Directing Division 2009 to 2011. She has been a member of the board of directors of Cuan (DSGBV) since April 2024, and an Independent Adviser on the Scottish Ministerial Code since December 2024. She is a member of the Audit and Risk Committees of Cuan and of An Garda Síochána. Claire qualified as a solicitor in 1992.

Helen Faughnan has significant public service, charity and organisational experience. She was a career civil servant with over 14 years’ experience at senior level, retiring from the Department of Social Protection as an Assistant Secretary in 2018.  She is also an expert in Irish political governance, having served as a Special Adviser and Private Secretary to several senior government ministers across a number of different portfolios. Helen also worked full-time for two years, in a mid-career move, with Chernobyl Children International. Helen has significant non-executive board experience.  She is currently Deputy Chair of the Board of Chernobyl Children International and was Deputy Chair of the Charities Institute Ireland and a member of their Finance & Risk Committee.

Dr 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 and Strategic Planning, and Community Engagement and 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.

Suzanne Tracy 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.

Michael Patten is an experienced Chair, non-executive director and senior advisor. He is currently a member of the Board of several public and private organisations including Coillte CGA, The Business Post Group, An Garda Siochana and The Institute for International & European Affairs (IIEA). He is Chair of the Irish Management Institute (IMI) Advisory Council and also serves as a Trustee and former Chair of the Charitable Infirmary Charitable Trust. He was previously a non-executive director of Tirlán DAC. He also runs Progress Strategy, a confidential advisory and support service to Boards and senior executive teams. Michael’s focus on governance and advisory roles follows an extensive senior executive career in the international food and beverage sectors where most recently he led senior corporate functions in Glanbia plc including as Chief People Officer and Chief Environmental, Social, Governance & Corporate Affairs Officer. Other previous senior executive roles included Global Public Affairs Director with Diageo plc - with responsibilities including global government affairs and EU Affairs - as well as Director of Corporate Affairs for both Glanbia and Diageo. Michael is a qualified Chartered Director (IOD), an Honorary Life Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland and a graduate of DCU.

Sinéad McSweeney studied law at University College Cork and qualified as a barrister in 1993. She began her working life as a parliamentary transcriber in the Dail debates unit of the Houses of the Oireachtas and, between 1996 and 2002, held a range of political advisory positions in the Irish government including roles as Special Adviser to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and, prior to that, at the Attorney General’s Office. She was Director of Communications for An Garda Síochána from 2007 to 2012 having done a similar role as Director of Media and Public Relations for the Police Service of Northern Ireland between 2004 and 2007. Sinéad joined Twitter as head of public policy for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) in 2012 and was subsequently appointed Managing Director of the company’s EMEA headquarters in Dublin. In 2021 she became Twitter’s Global Vice President of Public Policy, a role she held until December 2022. She recently completed a higher diploma in psychology at Trinity College, Dublin.

Non-Board Subcommittee

The Board established an Audit and Risk Committee on 14 May 2025 in accordance with the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. The committee comprises three Board members and four independent members including a Chairperson in accordance with the Act.

Name                                                  Term

Bill Cunningham (Chair)                    4 years

Anthony Harbinson                             Until 1 April 2028 consistent with term on Board

Catherine Corbett                               Until 1 April 2028 consistent with term on Board

Claire Loftus                                       Until 1 April 2029 consistent with term on Board

Derek Moran                                       4 years

Imelda Reynolds                                 4 years

Mary Mosse                                        4 years