Former Garda Commissioner Drew Harris lived in a rental property in the Phoenix Park owned by the Office of Public Works (OPW) during his time in office, it emerged at a Dáil committee.
Mr Harris served as Commissioner between 2018 and 2025 and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard the yearly rent of around €21,000 for the property near Garda headquarters was not changed during that time.
It is unclear whether Mr Harris or An Garda Síochána paid the rent on the property.
In 2018, the Garda Commissioner job was advertised with a salary of up to €250,000. The Cabinet is reported to have agreed at the time a package of other incentives might need to be offered to secure the right candidate.
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Labour TD Eoghan Kenny, who raised the matter at the PAC, said he believes the “public purse” was affected by the level of rent staying the same between 2018 and 2025, given rent increases in the wider rental market.
In a later statement, he claimed it “appears to be a sweetheart deal” and he called for An Garda Síochána to “provide a full account of the financial arrangements for the property”.
In response to questions from Mr Kenny at the PAC, OPW chairman John Conlon confirmed that €400,000 in refurbishment work – including re-roofing - was carried out on the property on the Spa Road, before its use by the former Garda Commissioner.
However, he said: “The works weren’t done in preparation for leasing to An Garda Síochána. I want to emphasise that. The works were done because it was part of the programme of work we were doing in upgrading properties in the Phoenix Park.”
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Mr Conlon said such properties are generally used by the OPW’s own staff who work in the Phoenix Park, giving the example of keyholders.
He said the Garda approached the OPW “looking for accommodation that would have a certain amount of security for the occupant of that house”, and he said the occupant was the former Commissioner.
Mr Conlon told the PAC that An Garda Síochána paid the €21,000 yearly rent – set at a market rate in 2018 - to the OPW.
Mr Kenny said: “It’s a question for An Garda Síochána on whether or not the Garda Commissioner was paying rent to An Garda Síochána, who then in turn passes it on to yourselves.”
As of Thursday evening, neither the Garda press office nor the Department of Justice answered a question on whether Mr Harris paid the €21,000 per year rent himself or whether An Garda Síochána covered the cost.
Mr Conlon confirmed the level of rent stayed the same over the seven years and Mr Kenny asked if was ever the OPW’s intention to do another market research exercise on the level of rent it was charging.
Mr Conlon said he accepted there should have been a review. He said a process is being put in place where rents for Phoenix Park properties are reviewed on an ongoing basis.
He said rents the OPW charges to its own employees differs depending on their work.
“Some are rent-free, some are reduced rents because of the nature of their work, whether they’re key holders or providing security”.
He added: “I do accept that we should have an ongoing process of review of our rents going forward.”
An Garda Síochána responded to The Irish Times query saying: “The former Commissioner was employed under contract by the Department of Justice.”
