Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 November 2017
225. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 50 members; and the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51053/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra226. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 100 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51054/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra227. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 120 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51055/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra228. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 150 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51056/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra229. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 200 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51057/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra230. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 250 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51058/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra231. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 300 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51059/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra232. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 400 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51060/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra233. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 500 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51061/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra234. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 600 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51062/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra235. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 700 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51063/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra236. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 800 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51064/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra237. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 900 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51065/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra238. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,000 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51066/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra239. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,200 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51067/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra240. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,400 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51068/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra241. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,500 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51069/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra242. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,600 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51070/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra243. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,700 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51071/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra244. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,800 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51072/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra245. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,000 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51073/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra246. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,200 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51074/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra247. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,400 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51075/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra248. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,500 members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51076/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra249. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve to 2,500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51077/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 225 to 249, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will be aware that the Government has in place a commitment for 2000 Reserve Members by 2021.
It is regrettable that the strength of the Reserve as of 30 September 2017 (the latest date for which figures are available) was 607. However, this is partly attributable to a substantial number of Reserves joining the Gardaí as full-time members in recent years.
It is also attributable to the need for Garda management and the Public Appointments Service to prioritise the running of recruitment campaigns for Garda trainees over those for Reserves. I am sure that the Deputy will agree, notwithstanding the very valuable contribution of Reserve members throughout the country, that this was the right call to make in the circumstances.
Fortunately, with Garda recruitment up and running successfully it was possible to enable a recruitment campaign for the Garda to get underway in March. It attracted approximately 2,400 applicants of whom around 1,600 were successful following assessment. To date approximately 500 applicants have been referred on to the Garda Appointment Office from the Public Appointment Service for vetting and medical. I am advised that applicants from this campaign will enter training in early 2018.
As the Deputy will be aware service in the Garda Reserve is voluntary and unpaid. However, an allowance is payable to Reserve members who complete a minimum of 208 hours duty annually as a contribution towards expenses incurred in performing their duties. The allowance is currently set at €1,000 per annum. As this is a fixed allowance it does not change year to year. In addition, the uniform cost per Reserve member is in the region of €1,300.
Reserves are also reimbursed for expenses incurred while attending court in respect of their service as a Reserve.
Thus, the cost of recruiting a new reserve is some €2,300 for the first year and €1,000 per annum thereafter assuming completion of the hours required. It is a relatively straightforward calculation thereafter to calculate the costs involved for the numbers set out in the Deputy’s questions.
As far as increasing the reserve from 607 to 2,500, the cost would be some €4.35 million (i.e. 1,893 x €2,300).
