I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 161 together.
As the moratorium on Public Service Recruitment continues to apply to An Garda Síochána, no date has been fixed for future intakes into the Garda College or for the commencement of a recruitment competition. A decision on when recruitment will re-commence will take into account the rate of retirement in the Garda Síochána and Government targets for reductions in public service numbers.
Candidates who have been successful at stages one and two of the previous recruitment process have had their names forwarded by the Public Appointments Service to the Commissioner. These candidates will be eligible, subject to successfully undergoing the medical examination, the physical competency test and character vetting, for any future intakes into the Garda College when recruitment next begins.