Third of new Garda applicants aged 35 and over

MORE than one in three applicants to the Garda are over 35 – after the age limit was raised, it has emerged.

The force revealed yesterday 6,381 people have applied to join up in the latest recruitment campaign – and 2,360, or 37%, were aged between 35 and 49.

The candidates will now be whittled down and it’s thought up to 1,000 will be chosen as trainees this year.

The number of overall applicants is also up on last year’s round – when 5,000 people went for the job.

There are currently around 14,000 members of the force and gardai believe the latest recruitment campaign will increase strength to 14,500 by the end of this year – when retirements and resignations are taken into account.

The applicants will enter a selection process with three stages – an online aptitude test, a face-to-face interview and a physical fitness examination.

Senior officers and Justice Minister

Helen Mcentee both welcomed the increase in applications yesterday.

A Garda spokesman said: “This level of applications coming less than a year since the last competition coupled with the fact that more than 2,000 applicants were aged over 35 confirms interest is still high and it’s a job worth doing.”

Ms Mcentee said: “The response has been very strong. I am delighted to see over 6,300 apply – a significant increase on the 5,000 people who applied last year.

“I am glad to see so many people want to join An Garda Siochana and I am particularly pleased at the response from people aged between 35 and 50.

“I have always said that nothing is off the table when it comes to recruitment.

“We have increased the training allowance and increased the age of entry.

“I am determined that An Garda Siochana grows to 15,000 members and beyond. So, to all those who have applied, good luck with the interviews and assessments, and all the very best on your path to a job well worth doing.”