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Taoiseach and Minister Flanagan welcome 197 new members to An Garda Síochána

  • Garda numbers rise to over 14,300
  • Set to reach 15,000 by 2021
  • Taoiseach calls for greater ethnic diversity in An Garda Síochána
  • Minister Flanagan welcomes new Garda Diversity and Integration Strategy
  • Announces work to develop and improve law in relation to hate speech and hate crime

 

29 November 2019

 

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD and Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, have today welcomed 197 new members to An Garda Síochána following their attestation at  the Garda Training College, Templemore.

 

Today’s ceremony brings to 3,000 the number of new Gardaí that have attested and been assigned to frontline policing duties nationwide since the reopening of the Garda College in 2014.

 

Speaking at the Passing out Parade, the Taoiseach noted that Garda numbers have now reached 14,300, the highest level in almost a decade.

 

“Since I became Taoiseach two-and-a-half years ago 1,985 new Gardaí have attested, including all of you today.  I believe it is the visible presence of Gardaí on the streets and in our communities that reassures the public and deters crime. Today we have over 14,300 Gardaí on our streets - that’s more than for a very long time - aided by 2,900 Garda staff nationwide.  These numbers are increasing and our ambition is to reach a total workforce of 21,000 by the end of next year. We are on target to do this.”

 

Welcoming the new recruits, Minister Flanagan noted that Gardaí are now also supported by an unprecedented 2,900 Garda staff, which is facilitating the redeployment of Gardaí to frontline duties.  Minister Flanagan reflected on this as well as on the launch by the Commissioner of the new Garda Operating Model, a key milestone under “A Policing Service for the Future”, the implementation plan for the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.  Noting that the new Model will result in less bureaucracy and duplication at senior levels and more decision making powers at a local level, the Minister said:

 

“All communities will gain, through having more frontline Gardaí and a more localised policing service with greater decision-making power and expertise in each Division.

 

The Taoiseach welcomed the growing diversity of An Garda Síochána, saying:

 

“Our role models should reflect who we are as a society, and the same is true of our Gardaí...Today I am asking Commissioner Harris to set an objective for encouraging more people from ethnic minorities into the Gardaí.”

 

Minister Flanagan commended the efforts which have already taken towards this goal of ensuring An Garda Síochána reflects and represents Irish society, including in particular the recent launch by the Commissioner of the Garda Diversity and Integration Strategy. 

 

He also referred to broader action to address racism, incitement to hatred and hate crime, noting:

 

“The existing legal provision for hate as an aggravating factor in sentencing is not broadly understood in the public.  The time is right to review our laws and reassess what is necessary and effective to stamp out hate speech and hate crime in Ireland.” 

 

He explained

 

“My Department is working as a priority to develop and improve our legislation on both hate speech and hate crime.  We want to understand people’s experience and ensure that the new laws we will introduce in this field are robust, clearly understood and effective.  And so a public consultation on incitement to hatred is currently being carried out by my Department.  We are also close to finalising research on the effectiveness of the different legislative approaches to tackling hate crime in other countries — to learn from best practice. Building on this research, we will in the new year bring forward proposals, for discussion, on new hate crime legislation”.

 

 

Of the 197 probationers that attested on 29 November 2019, 14 were born outside of the State.

 

34% of the probationer Gardaí that attested are women.  The percentage of women in An Garda Síochána has risen from 18.5% in 2006 to 28% today and is now above the European average.

 

 

Ends

 

Notes to Editors

 

Government allocated €1.76 billion to the Garda Vote for 2019 and this is increasing further to a record €1.882 billion in 2020.    Capital investment of €92 million is being made in An Garda Síochána in 2019, rising to €116.5 million in 2020.  This will facilitate continued investment in ICT, the Garda fleet and the Garda estate.

 

This is the last of three attestations scheduled to take place in 2019.  Approximately 600 new Garda members attested and were posted to mainstream policing duties in communities across the country in 2019.  Total Garda strength has now risen to over 14,300 for the first time since 2010.

 

Of the 197 probationers that attested on 29 November 2019, 14 were born outside of the jurisdiction.  Probationer Gardaí attested from Northern Ireland, England and Scotland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Slovenia, and the United States of America.

 

34% of the probationer Gardaí that attested are women. The number of women in An Garda Síochána has steadily increased.  The percentage of women in An Garda Síochána has risen from 18.5% in 2006 to 28% today. This is above the European average.

 

The budgetary allocation to An Garda Síochána for 2020 will allow the Garda Commissioner to recruit up to 700 new Gardaí and additional Garda Staff in 2020, the balance of which will be for the Commissioner to determine based on operational needs.  This funding for sustained recruitment ensures that An Garda Síochána remains on track to reach the Government target of an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 by 2021.