First careers fair for gardaí as 500 leave the force last year
HUNDREDS of active gardaí will explore their options at a careers fair today, posing a significant threat to the Government’s expansion plans.
Ex-garda Stephen Moore said many members are being ‘driven out’ of their jobs due to a lack of promotions and a shortage of support from superiors.
Last year nearly 500 officers left An Garda Síochána – 319 retirements and 169 resignations. There are now fears the Government’s target of having 15,000 gardaí by the end of 2024 won’t be met despite the age limit for trainees being raised from 35 years to 50.
Today, Ireland’s first careers fair for gardaí, emergency services and military personnel will take place at the City North Hotel & Conference Centre in Gormanston, Co. Meath, to support those facing retirement or wishing to resign from their roles.
The Out Of The Blue Career Horizons Expo will allow individuals to explore other careers and to upskill. Its organiser, ex-garda Stephen Moore, told the Irish Daily Mail a key factor for guards leaving the force early ‘is the missing link between upper management and the men and women on the ground’.
He said: ‘Many members have told me they’ve considered resigning due to a lack of flexibility in their day-to-day roles while others said there’s very little empathetic support.’ He said many still want to be guards but feel they’re being ‘forced out’. Mr Moore, who has written three books on An Garda Síochána, quit his role in 2023 after 20 years in the force, as he felt his skill-set wasn’t being utilised to its full potential.
He said: ‘I remember one morning standing outside the Dáil in the lashing rain thinking I had hit a growth ceiling. I just wanted to leave while I was still young enough to start a second career.’
He subsequently started Out Of The Blue Training & Employment Services, which supports emergency services and military personnel who are leaving their jobs. He said there has ‘never been an expo like this in Ireland before’ and that it’s ‘very much needed’.
‘Feel they’re being forced out’