Robert Troy
Question:419. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice the number of serving gardaí as of 1 September 2023, in comparison to September 2021; how many retirements in that period; and how many recruitments. [41317/23]
View answerTuesday, 26 September 2023
Questions (419)
Written answers
The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and the 2023 budget of over €2 billion will allow for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff, with Garda recruits entering Templemore approximately every 11 weeks. I can assure the Deputy that the Government remains committed to reaching its current targets of 15,000 Gardaí and 4,000 Garda staff.
Overall, since 2015 there has been an almost 9% increase in the number of Gardaí. There was also a more than 56% increase in Garda staff for the same period. Garda Staff perform a number of vital roles that are essential to a modern police service and increase the availability of Gardaí to concentrate on frontline policing duties.
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 distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.
As of 30 September 2021, there were 14,345 Garda members nationwide. As of 31 August 2023, the latest information available, there were 13,910 Garda members across the country.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that between January and September 2021 there were 207 retirements, comprising of 143 voluntary and 64 compulsory retirements. I am also advised that for the same period in 2023, there were 216 retirements, comprising 165 voluntary and 51 compulsory retirements.
Since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, a total of 4,116 new recruits have attested as Gardaí and been assigned to duties nationwide. This includes the 628 Probationer Gardaí who have attested since the formation of the Government in June 2020.
In the interest of transparency, Garda workforce figures are published on gov.ie and regularly updated by my Department, from information supplied by the Garda Authorities. The allocation of Probationer Gardaí, who have attested from the Garda College, up to the end of July 2023 can be found at the following link:www.gov.ie/en/publication/7c2e6-probationer-gardai/