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• · 400 new Garda recruits have attested in 2018 and a further 400 will attest by the end of the year;
• · Since the Government reopened the Garda College, Templemore approximately 2,000 new Gardaí have been assigned to mainstream policing duties across the country;
• · Overall Garda numbers expected to increase to approximately 14,000 by the end of 2018;
• · The new recruits who have attested today are further tangible proof of the Government’s continuing commitment to reaching an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 by 2021.

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan, has welcomed the addition of 198 new members to An Garda Síochána today following their attestation as members at a ceremony in the Garda College, Templemore.

The Minister, speaking at the ceremony said,

“It is an honour and a privilege for me to be here today on this very special occasion as these 198 new Garda members begin their careers in An Garda Siochána. I would like to thank each of them for choosing a career in An Garda Síochána. It is heartening to see people continuing to answer the call to public service and I wish them all a long and rewarding policing career in An Garda Síochána serving communities across the country.”

The 198 new members bring the number of new recruits who have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and who have been assigned to mainstream duties around the country, to just under 2,000 since the Government reopened the College in September 2014.

“The new recruits who have attested today are further tangible proof of the Government’s continuing commitment to achieving an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 including 15,000 Garda members. Already this year approximately 400 Garda trainees have attested with a further 400 scheduled to attest during the second half of the year. Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018. Real progress is being made.”

In total 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College during 2018 and the recent Garda competition which closed on 7 June attracted over 6,000 applicants. Commenting on the importance of the recruitment campaign Minister Flanagan said

“The on-going recruitment and training of new Garda members will provide the Commissioner with increased resources to deliver visible, frontline policing in communities across the country”.

In conclusion Minister Flanagan made reference to the importance of 2018 to An Garda Síochána

“This is a very important year in the history of An Garda Síochána. The process of selecting the next Commissioner is well underway and for the first time is being overseen by the Policing Authority. This competition is an open, international competition and the new Commissioner will be in place by the Autumn. In addition, we also of course have the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland to look forward t with optimism.. The Commission is examining every aspect of policing in Ireland in a very fundamental way. The Commission’s report is due in September and I expect it will map out an ambitious future for An Garda Síochána for the coming decades.

Notes to Editors:

• The Government has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.
• This is the second of four attestations of approx.. 200 Garda trainees that will take place this year with a further two scheduled for September and November. 
• Garda numbers have risen steadily since recruitment recommenced rising from 12,799 at the end of 2014 to 13,551 at the end of 2017 and are expected to reach approximately 14,000 by the end of 2018.
• This investment in personnel is complemented by substantial investment in resources across the board for An Garda Síochána. A total budget of €1.65 billion has been provided to An Garda Síochána in 2018, an increase of 2% on 2017. It should be noted that the Garda allocation continues to benefit from the significant additional funding that was provided in 2016, and maintained in 2017, to fund the sustained response to tackle gangland crime, the continuation of Operation Thor and ensure that measures to prevent international terrorism can be continued.