Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2015
365. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the expected number of new Garda Síochána recruits to commence training in 2015; the additional cost in 2015 of increasing this number by 100, 200 and 500; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29772/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
The Deputy will be aware that the first intake since 2009 of 100 new recruits entered training at the Garda College, Templemore, on 15 September 2014. As part of Budget 2015, a further intake of 200 recruits in two batches was announced. On 15 December 2014, the first 100 of these batches commenced their training. The remaining 100 entered the college in February this year. In addition I received sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for the further intake of 250 recruits in 2015. It is expected that there will be a further intake into the Garda College of 100 trainees later this month, with two further intakes scheduled for October and December of this year. This will bring the number of new recruits to 550 by the end of 2015.
The September intake of recruits attested as members of the Garda Síochána on 23 April 2015 and further attestation of 99 new Probationer Gardaí is scheduled for later this month.
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the initial annual cost of recruiting, training and employing 100, 200 and 500 extra Gardaí per annum is as set out in the following table.
Initial cost of extra Garda Recruits
|
Cost |
Cost |
Cost |
|
|
100 |
200 |
500 |
|
|
Salary and Allowances |
€1.89m |
€3.77m |
€9.43m |
It is my intention that there be ongoing recruitment subject to sanction by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
