A total of 690 members of sergeant rank are qualified for promotion to the rank of inspector. The most recent interviews for promotion to that rank were held in 1992 when a panel of 60 persons was formed. The person in question (who passed the professional examination for promotion to inspector in 1981 and who has competed in all open interviews for promotion to that rank since then) was one of four female applicants — three of whom were successful. Thirteen per cent of male applicants were placed on the panel.
Generally speaking, promotion to any rank in the Garda Síochána is extremely competitive because the number of members who are eligible to compete is far in excess of the number of vacancies.
At present, there are 560 female members in the force out of a total strength of 10,860. Their numbers by rank are as follows: garda, 535, sergeant, 22, inspector, 2, superintendent 1. Before 1989, women did not compete on equal terms with men to join the Garda Síochána. However, approximately one in three candidates now offered a position (following successful interviews at the Civil Service Commission stage) is a woman. This percentage success rate is roughly proportional to the number of women presenting at interview to join the Garda. At the most recent competition for promotion to sergeant, 28.5 per cent of female candidates were successful as against 26.4 per cent male candidates.