The Taoiseach says the Policing Authority will appoint senior positions in the Gardai from the end of the year.

The AGSI is threatening legal action over the failure to fill positions at superintendent and chief superintendent level.

Only some assistant commissioners, chief superintendents and superintendents were promoted in July, while others had been notified they were successful in the open competition.

Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin says this points to the disfunctional justice system – Enda Kenny says the matter will be resolved by the policing authority: “The independent policing authority are well aware as the memo for Government said in the summer time.

“That the responsibility would pass to them, by or on the 31 September, and I am sure they are making arrangements to be in a position to fill senior appointments as will be their responsibility, completely independently, very shortly after that date.”