The Taoiseach has told the Dáil that the Policing Authority will be in a position to appoint senior garda officers from the end of this year.
He was responding to criticism from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who criticised the Government's failure to appoint 17 officers to existing vacancies and to implement the new promotions procedure.
Mr Martin said it is the Government's responsibility to appoint.
He said there is paralysis in the appointment of senior gardaí and judges, and asked the Taoiseach to explain what is happening.
Mr Kenny said that from 31 December, the independent Policing Authority will be in a position to make appointments.
Tonight, the Labour Party said in a statement that the practice of leaving senior positions empty should end immediately.
It also said while it is "absolutely appropriate" that the Policing Authority make senior appointments next year, statutory responsibility currently "lies with the Government" and it "should act to fill these vacancies".
In a statement this afternoon, the Policing Authority said it supports the filling of critical posts in An Garda Síochána but has no role in determining the numbers and grades in the police service.
"The Authority stands ready to assume responsibility for the appointment of senior roles within the Garda Síochána as soon as the necessary regulations to facilitate this are finalised and made.
"The Authority will then be in a position to finalise arrangements to undertake its own selection competitions for appointment to garda senior ranks in line with those regulations."
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald earlier said the Policing Authority will have responsibility for all upcoming garda promotions.
She said 38 gardaí had been promoted during the summer, and the Government had indicated at that time that all subsequent promotions would be handled by the Policing Authority.
Senior garda officers are said to be considering taking legal action over the failure to fill senior policing and State security positions in An Garda Síochána.
They say there are currently 17 vacant senior garda posts at assistant commissioner, chief superintendent and superintendent ranks.
They dismissed Ms Fitzgerald's claim last night in the Dáil that there are three vacancies as wrong.
Vacancies include management posts in units investigating serious and subversive crime as well as traffic, regional and community policing.
The 17 senior officers waiting to be promoted have not been appointed to existing vacancies because their appointments have not been approved by the Government.
Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan has described these as "critical vacancies" and has been seeking to have them filled since last June but Minister Fitzgerald has declined to do so.
In a response to Fianna Fáil in the Dáil last night, Ms Fitzgerald said her preference is that the Policing Authority take on the role of appointing senior positions as soon as possible.
Speaking at the launch this morning of a new national awareness campaign focused on the role of the bystander in reducing domestic violence, Ms Fitzgerald said "power would be passed to the authority before the end of the year", and that all of the posts approved by the Government have already been made.
She said she had not been informed of any potential legal action in relation to the issue.
There is currently no assistant commissioner or chief superintendent appointed to the National Traffic Bureau, while five other assistant commissioners are effectively double-jobbing.
One assistant commissioner is in charge of the National Support Services in Dublin but also border policing from Louth to Donegal; another is responsible for the south and west of the country.
Three more assistant commissioners, including the officer in charge of investigating the gang feud in Dublin, are due to retire within the next six months.
At present there is also no chief superintendent in the Special Detective Unit, which deals with subversive crime while the acting chief - also the head of Crime and Security - has announced his retirement.
However, senior gardaí say they are considering taking legal action and are being supported by three garda representative bodies.
The Association of Garda Superintendents has already raised the issue with the minister, while the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors is due to meet her next Tuesday.
