Minister Dermot Ahern Welcomes Announcement of Next Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland

Minister Ahern said:

“Al Hutchinson is a person of great ability and integrity and I am confident that he will do an excellent job as the next Police Ombudsman when he takes office at the end of the year. He has served with distinction as Policing Oversight Commissioner since 2004, and previously as Chief of Staff in that office.  I am very glad that he is to stay in Northern Ireland and continue to contribute to this vital area in his new role.”

“The Office of the Ombudsman is a central part of the policing reforms proposed by the Patten Commission and Nuala O’Loan has achieved an extraordinary amount in establishing the office and winning overwhelming cross-community support.  She has shown enormous dedication and personal courage throughout her time as Ombudsman and her work on past and current cases played a very important role in laying the groundwork for the breakthroughs in the full endorsement of policing, and progress at the political level.”

“I understand that, before the end of her term in November, Nuala O’Loan will finalise a review of the office of the Ombudsman which should provide a very valuable basis for Al Hutchinson’s work in consolidating and building on the achievements of the office in the coming years.”

ENDS+++
Press Office
25 June 2007