Gerry Reynolds
Question:209 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when persons who have passed the exam for the Garda and have been placed in group ten will be called for training. [11205/98]
Written Answers. - Garda Recruitment.
My Department has no direct function in relation to the recruitment of individual gardaí. Admission to the Garda Síochána is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations, 1988, as amended. These regulations prescribe, inter alia, the criteria for admission of trainees to the force. Recruitment competitions are conducted by the Civil Service Commission, which is an independent body, on behalf of the Garda Síochána. The selection process for Garda recruitment, which applies generally, is outlined below.
Candidates who have been successful in the first, that is, written, stage of the competition and meet the qualifying criteria relating to age and educational qualifications are divided into groups — there are 15 groups in the recruitment competition which commenced in 1997. Subject to overall recruitment requirements, those candidates are then called, in group order, to a competitive interview. It is only candidates who qualify in the written and interview stages of the competition who are eligible for selection.
In addition, the admissions and appointments regulations provide that the Garda Commissioner cannot admit a person to the Garda College as a trainee unless he is satisfied that the candidate is medically fit and generally suitable for admission.
I understand from the Civil Service Commission that candidates in group ten are likely to be called for interview in October/November next. Student intakes to the Garda College are once every quarter. The first intake in 1999 is scheduled for the end of January and the intention is that candidates selected from group ten will be included in that intake.