Michael Ring
Question:57 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice when the next recruitment for the Garda Síochána will be; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3471/95]
Written Answers. - Garda Síochána Recruitment.
A competition to recruit 1,050 gardaí in the period 1995 to 1997 was advertised by the Civil Service Commission in April 1994. Over 15,000 applications were received and the first stage of the competition, consisting of a written test, was held in early September 1994, for those candidates, over 11,000, who met the educational requirements. Over 6,000 candidates reached the minimum standard at the written test and these have been placed into 21 groups of approximately 300, of which it is expected that 11 groups will have been interviewed by the end of the competition.Interviews are ongoing at present and the first trainees from this competition will commence training in the Garda Training College, Templemore in April this year.
It is not possible to say at this stage when the next recruitment competition to the Garda Síochána will be held but it is unlikely to take place until 1997 at the earliest.