Garda Retirements

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Questions (914)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

914. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí at detective rank that have left the force in the past five years; the measures he is taking to prevent senior detective Gardaí from leaving the force; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of Gardaí at Detective Superintendent rank and others are joining private cash-in-transit firms; if he will consider putting in a cooling period before Gardaí above a certain rank do not join security or cash-in-transit firms in the private sector before a waiting period lapses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16926/13]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

The Deputy will be aware that there is no rank of Detective in the Garda Síochána. Members of the Garda Síochána, at the ranks of Garda to Chief Superintendent inclusive, may be assigned to Detective duties by the Garda Commissioner.

The number of Gardai who retired from the force in the last five years, by rank, is shown in the table below. The number of these who may have been assigned to detective duties is not known and the retrieval of this information would require a disproportionate use of resources relevant to the information sought.

Year	Comm’r	Deputy Comm’r	Asst Comm’r	Chief Supt	Supt	Inspector	Sergeant	Garda	Total
2008		1	3	4	12	13	57	251	341
2009			3	14	27	29	181	522	776
2010	1		2	3	14	8	100	279	407
2011			3	8	23	19	109	318	480
2012			1	5	19	24	119	294	462

There are no restrictions on the post-retirement employment of members of the Garda Síochána and there are no plans to introduce such restrictions at this time.