Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am coming to that. The Deputy also asked about the GRA's commentary, which I think we need to address. We all know that regardless of how many members of the force we have or how efficient the force, there will always be bad people who do bad things and who commit crime. It is important we keep this in perspective because for an individual who is the victim of a crime, particularly a personalised crime such as a burglary or assault, it is a profound and terrifying event in their life. It is important for the sake of the peace of mind of people in the general community that these crimes are not exaggerated. In comparison with most other countries, our level of crime is very low. We should not denigrate or in any way undermine or cause loss of public confidence in the capacity of the force.

As I stated, the objective strength of the Garda force is 13,000. I do not wish to see that strength fall below 13,000. The Commissioner and I are at one in this regard. I had hoped it would have proved possible to commence the recruitment campaign a little earlier than was the case. I do not wish to engage with anybody here. However, all Deputies are aware that issues arising on the public pay side and the negotiation of the arrangements now in place took a considerable period to work through during the first half of 2013. Until the Haddington Road agreement was in place, I was not in a position to move forward on the issue of Garda recruitment. Had the representative bodies taken a different approach and engaged at the time of Croke Park II - I do not want to fight an old battle because I welcome their engagement on the Haddington Road agreement - I would have been in a position to commence a recruitment campaign earlier. I was not in a position to deal with that issue until the issue of where the State finances stood had been addressed and until my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Howlin, was in a position to sanction my proceeding with the recruitment campaign. He was not in a position to do that.

Deputies will note that shortly after the putting in place of the Haddington Road agreement, I announced the recruitment campaign. We now have 13,100 gardaí in the force. I do not know how many members of the force may retire during the course of this year. Various estimates in this regard have been provided. However, estimates provided in the past have proved wrong. We are proceeding as rapidly as we can with the recruitment campaign. I expect the first batch of recruits to enter Templemore in July. If the Public Appointments Service can deal more quickly with matters, they will enter a little earlier. Some 25,000 applications were received. This matter is being dealt with by a completely objective service in a considered and appropriate manner. It has to work its way through a large volume of applications, and in that regard it has a process to go through. I expect we will have a minimum of 300 new recruits entering Templemore in 2014.

I expect they may enter in two different groupings, with an initial and a second group. The second group will not wait for the graduation of the first group as the college is gearing up to be able to deal with matters in that way. Those numbers may change and there could be a somewhat larger number. I cannot say with certainty that the numbers within the force during the course of this year will not fall below the 13,000 figure because of the timeframe involved in processing recruitment and the 32-week course to be taken. If it does fall below that figure, very rapidly in 2015 the figure should be restored. With the new system, after the 32 weeks the trainee gardaí get their badges and can engage in community policing and other policing duties. They will still operate under supervision, and it is a better system than keeping them, in effect, in Templemore for a lengthy period.

If the issues I mentioned had been resolved earlier in 2013, we would have started a little earlier in Templemore. That is the position. I have the greatest confidence that the Garda can continue its focused work under the Garda Commissioner's leadership.