Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My question relates to the level of recruitment and the head-count of the force. Some recent statistics, supplied in a reply to a parliamentary question I submitted, state that as of 1 January 2015, the head count stood at 12,799. I was also informed that up to 500 people, on average, can be out sick on a given day of the week, in addition there are approximately 230 who are on an incentivised career break and the number who are eligible to retire today is 1,498. When one starts to do the additions and subtractions, one can see that the head-count in the force is under significant pressure.

If the Commissioner is to try to deliver her policing plan and roll out her strategies, she would be at a serious disadvantage if she did not have the main resource at her disposal, which is manpower. The Commissioner mentioned that at present, some 299 people are in training in Templemore. In approaching the job of providing a policing service for the country in the medium to long term, Ms O'Sullivan must engage in multi-annual planning. In this context how does she envisage the recruitment of personnel? The recruitment of 300 gardaí brings the head count up to 13,000, but the Commissioner must meet the challenges of replacing the numbers who are on sick leave in the short term or long term and providing for the number who will retire. What is the requirement for recruitment to maintain the force at the appropriate figure? It is a worry to try to compete with all the challenges that face her if she does not have the infusion of new people into the force. Given the exodus of eligible members, and given also that some 1,498 members, which is a significant number, can retire - I know they will not all retire in the same year or on the same day - will the Commissioner comment on that?