I propose to take Questions Nos. 64, 74 and 75 together.
As I have indicated in replies to previous parliamentary questions, it is the Civil Service Commissioners who, under the regulations governing admissions and appointments to the Garda Síochána, are responsible for the conduct of competitions for the selection of Garda trainees. I am informed by the commissioners that the position with regard to the current recruitment competition is as follows.
11,706 persons applied for the competition and of these 9,855 were eligible on the basis of age and their stated educational qualifications.
The Notes for Candidates, which were supplied to all applicants for the competition, explained that selection would be by means of written test, interview and medical examination. The notes explained too that those placed highest in the written test would be called for competitive interview and that the number called for interview would be determined from time to time, having regard to the number required for training over the next three years.
The number of candidates who reached the qualifying standard in the written test was 5,090. Interviews of those placed highest in this test have now commenced. Recruitment is to take place over a three-year period (300 in 1989, 300 in 1990 and 400 in 1991) and interviews are also scheduled to take place, on a phased basis, over the same period. Those candidates who, on the basis of the written test, will be called for interview have been notified of that and of the year in which they will be called. The numbers at present scheduled to be interviewed in each year are as follows:
Number to be interviewed—1989, 1,116; 1990, 1,150; 1991, 1,641. Total: 3,907.
It should be understood that it is not possible, at this stage, to indicate precisely the total number of candidates who will finally be interviewed. This will depend on such factors as the success rate at interview and medical examination of preceding candidates and the number of successful candidates who actually accept appointments. It is for that reason that the Civil Service Commissioners have found it necessary to inform some candidates that they do not expect to be in a position to give them a clearer indication of their prospects until 1991.
I am aware that there has been some criticism of the way in which the interview stage of the competition has been scheduled. However, it is now normal practice in many organisations, when faced with the problem of filling a limited number of vacancies from a very large number of applicants, to grade applicants on the basis of a qualifying test and to interview only as many of the most highly placed candidates as is necessary to select the required number of suitable people. This is the procedure at present being followed in relation to the selection of Garda trainees—interview selection of suitable candidates is being conducted at a rate to match the yearly requirement of trainees for admittance to the Garda Training Centre.
It is proposed to call the first selected group of around 75 candidates for training in April next. At that stage, the success and acceptance rates of candidates will have begun to emerge and the Civil Service Commissioners have informed me that they will then be prepared to review the intervening schedule to see whether it is desirable to proceed with the interviewing of candidates at dates earlier than those planned at present.