Minster says her plan for 1,000 new gardaí is ‘realistic’
JUSTICE Minister Helen McEntee has insisted that An Garda Síochána remains an attractive career and is confident that plans to recruit up to 1,000 new gardaí are ‘realistic’.
Her department has been allocated €3.5billion from yesterday’s Budget 2024, which includes €21million to recruit between 800 and 1,000 new gardaí and 250 civilian staff.
Plans to increase the maximum age of applicants from 35 is expected to be a key incentive in next year’s recruitment drive.
However, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) claims that a plethora of issues within the force are a major turn-off for young people.
Speaking at a post-Budget press conference yesterday, Ms McEntee said recruiting up to 1,000 new garda in 2024 is a ‘realistic figure’.
‘I am trying to be as ambitious as possible,’ she said.
‘We’re likely to see an overall figure of about 800, maybe slightly more, going through the college and finishing training [at the end of 2023].
‘Last year, I absolutely wanted to reach that 1,000 [figure] but we were still building the momentum at that stage and we’re getting to that point now.’
In 2022, it’s reported that just 300 recruits came through Templemore despite a pledge to deliver 800. The Justice Minister acknowledged that we live in a very fluid society where people have different work habits and change jobs more frequently.
However, she believes that joining the guards is a worthy career.
‘I think An Garda Síochána is still seen as a very viable, a very positive career for younger people,’ she continued. ‘But we need to look at what we can do to attract more people. That is why I am working with the commissioner to increase the age at which people can apply.’
The Garda Representative Association has previously said it was concerned the target of 1,000 new gardaí by the end of the year would not be achieved.
The GRA said 154 new recruits entered Templemore in May – short of the target of 225. It said the intake in January was 134 against a target of 200.
However, current policies within An Garda Síochána may discourage people from joining, such as its rules on tattoos.
Recently, three Garda hopefuls were sent home after it was discovered they had tattoos on their lower arms.
The trainees were part of 175 recruits who arrived at Templemore for induction on July 31.
Fianna Fáil Justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan said at the time: ‘We have fewer than 13,800 Gardaí
‘As ambitous as possible’
Training was also cited as a factor
in the force at present and are desperately trying to recruit more members. Young people frequently have tattoos and they should not be excluded from the force because of them.’
Inadequate training was also cited as a factor behind the shortfall of recruits. Last year, two gardaí whose patrol car was repeatedly rammed by a joyrider in a west Dublin housing estate were ‘not adequately trained’ to deal with the situation.
The female officers who responded to the incident were not allowed to pursue the drivers’ involved, break the speed limit or even turn on their sirens.
It’s understood they had previously completed a one-day Competency Based Driver (CBD) Level 1 assessment, which authorises them to drive patrol cars, but not in emergency situations.
Figures from 2019 showed that more than 80% of gardaí in the Dublin Metropolitain Region (DMR) alone were at this level.