Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In previous years, the highest number of people going through the college was approximately 1,000. It depends on the number of classes that can go through the college in any given year, which varies from four to five. Five classes will be in or have gone through Templemore this year. Next year, there will most likely be four starting. It is about ensuring that we fill those classes as much as we can. There is probably a maximum capacity of 2,500, which is why I have allocated funding for between 800 and 1,000 this year. This will ensure that if we can get those large numbers into each class, money will not be an issue. The recruitment campaigns must continue in order that we have a steady flow of people coming through. To that end, there will be a new recruitment campaign to build on the one we had in the past year.

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