Pa Daly
Question:1188. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the cost of training Garda recruits for the year 2023, including projected and actual figures, in tabular form. [38520/23]
View answerMonday, 11 September 2023
Questions (1188)
Written answers
I have contacted the Garda authorities for the information requested by the Deputy. Regrettably, this information was not available in time and I will write again to the Deputy once it is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
“To ask the Minister for Justice the cost of training Garda recruits for the year 2023, including projected and actual figures, in tabular form.” As you will recall I sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the recruitment and training of Garda recruits. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
The 2022 Garda Trainee Recruitment Competition was launched by the Public Appointments Service on 10 February 2022, with a closing date of 16 March 2022. The first list of candidates was provided to An Garda Síochána on 23 August 2022.
The first intake to the Garda College from the 2022 Competition was on 2 November 2022. Candidates continue to progress from the 2022 Competition.
The 2023 Garda Trainee Recruitment competition commenced on 24 March 2023; the closing date for the competition is 14 April 2023. The first list of candidates from the 2023 competition was provided to An Garda Síochána on 28 July 2023.
I am advised by Garda authorities that there is no published figure in relation to the cost of training individual Garda Trainees. This is due, in part, to challenges related to estimating specific training costs such as:
• The resourcing costs associated with instruction provided both within the Garda College for Phase I, and in the Divisions throughout Phase II and Phase III Foundation Training;
• Apportioning costs which the Garda College incurs, but may not be wholly attributable to the Trainee Programme.
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 1188 of 11 September 2023 where you sought: