IN THE LINE OF FIRE

 – Sinead McSweeney, Director Of Communications, An Garda Siochana.

WORDS: Yvonne Kerr

Cutting her political teeth as Special Adviser to Michael McDowell with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Sinéad McSweeney moved to Belfast as Director of Media for the Northern Ireland Police Force amid some controversy, no more than amongst unionists who felt uncomfortable with her political alignment. The qualified barrister looks back.

“For me, I was just taking my next job,” says the straight-talking Cork woman. “My apprehensions at the time (2004) were getting to know a new environment, a different media and a new political structure. I’d worked in politics long enough to know that I was just that weeks’ news.”

Credited with improving the image of the PSNI with local communities, it’s a mirror to her character that Sinéad recalls a second interview for the high profile job, in the presence of Chief Constable Hugh Orde and Director of Public Affairs for the Met Police Dick Fedorcio (recently forced to take leave amid News of the World allegations) not as daunting, or intimidating, but enjoyable. “I had noexpectations. I was told there was no way they’d hire someone from Cork.”

Sinéad’s current role as Director of Communications with An Garda Síochána makes her the chief liaison between police, media and government under the heat of high profile investigations and major crimes. She is composed and sensible; “Our objectives aren’t any different from other organisations in that we have key messages to communicate to the public, on reassurance and trust, and we need to harness media when there’s a serious crime to appeal
for information.”

Far from the corporate or commercial environment of a typical PR campaign however, crime (bad news) generally demands crisis management — pressurised reactive, rather than proactive, communications – Sinéad’s day job, on top of an internal communications strategy linking a staff newsletter, intranet, website, social networking and training courses for college and senior officers.

Read more about Sinead McSweeney in the Autumn 2011 issue of WMB, on newstands from September 1st.