Vol. 566 No. 3
136 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he expects the current Garda recruitment campaign to result in more gardaí on the streets; the current strength of the force; and the estimate for the strength of the force when the new recruits have graduated allowing for retirements and other factors. [12853/03]
The personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána as at 8 May 2003 is 11,783. This represents an increase of 815 or 7.4% since 31 December 1997.
As this House will be aware, the Cabinet has authorised the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to make the greatest possible use of the existing capacity of the Garda Training College in Templemore over the next two years to bring the strength of the force to 12,200, its current authorised maximum strength.
Currently Garda applicants are being recruited from the 2002 competition for Garda trainees. In the year to date, 318 Garda trainees have commenced training in the Garda college, Templemore. They are due to be attested to the force in 2004. Two more intakes of Garda trainees totalling 342 are projected for the latter half of 2003. It is anticipated that the first successful candidates from the competition for selection of Garda trainees in 2003 will commence training in September 2003 and will be attested to the force in November 2004. The commissioner has projected, based on the anticipated rate of retirement, that this level of recruitment will result in the maximum authorised strength of 12,200 being achieved during 2004.
