Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said earlier, it is a matter for the Garda Commissioner to distribute the resources available to him, both in terms of personnel and equipment. I am pleased, however, to record unprecedented funding for An Garda Síochána, in excess of €1.6 billion. I am also pleased the recruitment programme is firmly on track. I recently had the privilege of attending Templemore Garda Training College to see almost 200 new, ambitious, energetic, well-trained and well educated gardaí attest and graduate. All of them were posted to their stations, some to County Meath, within two weeks following their attestation from Templemore.

It is my intention to ensure we will proceed with another recruitment programme to ensure that by the end of 2021 my target and the Government's ambition of having an overall Garda workforce of 15,000 sworn gardaí, who will be ably assisted and backed up by 4,000 civilian members and 2,000 members of the Garda Reserve, a total of 21,000 personnel, will be achieved.

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