Peadar Tóibín
Question:1108. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí who have left the force in each of the past years, in tabular form. [1514/24]
View answerWednesday, 17 January 2024
Questions (1108)
Written answers
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 all human resource matters and recruitment. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.
I am however committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the resources they need to keep our urban and rural communities safe. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2.3 billion in Budget 2024. This funding is allowing for sustained investment in recruitment, technology and equipment.
The below table, provided to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the number of Gardaí who have left An Garda Síochána in each of the past five years. These figures include Voluntary Retirements, Compulsory Retirements, Cost Neutral Early Retirements, Resignations, Dismissals, Deaths in Service and Medical Discharges.
|
Year |
Number |
|
2023 |
520 |
|
2022 |
476 |
|
2021 |
405 |
|
2020 |
337 |
|
2019 |
333 |
|
Total |
2071 |
Across 2023 we have seen recruitment into An Garda Síochána gain real momentum. While there were 319 retirements and 169 resignations in 2023, 746 trainees entered Templemore last year. This is the highest intake into Templemore since 2018.
As the Deputy may be aware, a new Garda Recruitment competition was launched on 15 January. I am very pleased to see Garda recruits once again regularly entering training at Templemore, and this competition will ensure there is a continuous pipeline of new trainees.
We have put in place measures to make a career in An Garda Síochána more attractive and to lower the barriers to access by increasing the training allowance paid to trainees to €305 per week and increasing the maximum age of recruitment from 35 to 50.
While of course we don't want to see members leaving An Garda Síochána, I must emphasise the numbers remain very low. As of November 2023, there were just under 14,000 Garda members with the rate of resignations at around 1%.
An Garda Síochána have introduced their own exit interviews to get a clearer view on why people may choose to resign and, where appropriate, to address issues which may influence retention. These voluntary exit interviews are conducted by a chartered occupational psychologist working within the Garda Human Resources and People Development department.