Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 January 2023
285. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide details in tabular form of the number of recruits who have joined An Garda Síochána since recruitment opened in 2013 to date; the number of recruits who did not complete training during that period as well as the number of serving gardaí who have retired during the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2458/23]
View answerThe following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, however, this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.SUBSTANTIVE ANSWER:I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 19 January 2023 where you sought: “To ask the Minister for Justice if he will provide details in tabular form of the number of recruits who have joined An Garda Síochána since recruitment opened in 2013 to date; the number of recruits who did not complete training during that period as well as the number of serving Gardaí who have retired during the same period”.
As you will recall, I sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
As you are aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including responsibility for the recruitment, training and distribution of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.
The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, which is reflected in an allocation of over €2.14 billion under Budget 2023. This level of funding will provide a steady pipeline of new Gardaí in the coming years, and the Government will continue to work with the Commissioner to ensure that members of An Garda Síochána are fully supported. This funding allocation will support the recruitment of up to 1,000 Gardaí and 400 additional Garda staff this year.
An Garda Síochána, in partnership with the Public Appointments Service, launched a recruitment campaign on Friday 24 March 2023, which will ensure a continuous stream of candidates going into 2024.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that at 31 March 2023, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 14,036 Garda members and 3,130 Garda staff. This represents respective increases of almost 10% and 56% since end December 2015.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there have been 2,572 retirements from An Garda Síochána from 2013 up to 16/01/2023. Retirement figures include voluntary retirements, compulsory retirements, and cost neutral early retirements.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Garda trainees who entered the Garda College since recruitment opened in 2013 to date is 4,319 with 4,029 attestations for the same period.
I am advised that the number of recruits who did not complete training during that period is 65 of which 58 resigned and 7 were dismissed.
I am also advised that of those yet to complete training there are 218 recruits to be attested, 6 with their training suspended and 1member who attested early due to Covid-19 public health emergency.
I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, however, this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
