Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will go back to the issue of recruitment and retention. It is probably the biggest issue we have at the moment. While it is welcome that 92 gardaí started yesterday, this year, the number has fallen far short of expectations. It is a disappointment, including for the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, that we have been unable to meet targets. I acknowledge the budget put the finance for recruitment in place. Going back to my colleague's question, there does not seem to be an alternative strategy to ensure we get these new recruits into training and out the other side. While I understand 11,000 people expressed interest, when they got the email about taking it further, there was a large drop-off. I think very few responded positively and wanted to go further. There was an issue, which I spoke to the Garda Commissioner about, wherein 30% of those who went further failed the fitness test, which is one of the first hurdles. That is quite alarming.

How will we get over this problem? If people are not interested in joining An Garda Síochána in the first place, it will be very difficult to get to the stage where we can get numbers out the other side. I know there has been a tradition in Ireland, as there has been in many countries, where people within families join the Garda. Sometimes, it is multigenerational and sons and daughters of gardaí join, but that seems to have ended. I spoke to a retired garda recently. He told me that few of his colleagues would encourage their children to go into An Garda Síochána. We have an issue. It has long been a middle-class profession and that has ended. We need a strategy of looking elsewhere to find people to join the service. Additional effort needs to be made among communities that have traditionally had suspicions about An Garda Síochána. There is an opportunity to do this, since every problem is an opportunity. This is certainly an opportunity in this context.

Many of our migrant communities, including people from eastern Europe and other countries, have been here for many years and there is an opportunity with those communities. If people in any sector of society do not see it, then they will never be it. There needs to be an emphasis on that. I am disappointed there does not seem to be a strategy other than putting out a call and hoping for a better response next time. A more sustained strategy is needed to try to deliver. Has the Minister of State thought about that? Has the Government any ambition relating to recruitment?