Written answers

Wednesday, 23 November 2005

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Garda Strength

9:00 pm

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of personnel who have qualified as full members of the Garda Síochána since June 2002; the number of members who have retired, resigned or otherwise left the force in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35732/05]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda resources, including personnel, that 1,914 recruits have graduated from the Garda college since 6 June 2002. I am further informed that a total of 1,525 members — all ranks — have resigned, retired or otherwise left the Garda Síochána since 6 June 2002. Garda management also states that a total of 2,078 recruits have been attested to the Garda Síochána since 6 June 2002.

Garda trainees are attested to the force on successful completion of phase three of their training. On attestation, Garda trainees become serving members of the force. Thus the serving strength of the force at any given time includes those who have been attested following completion of phase three of their training but have not yet formally graduated — formal graduation takes place following the completion of the fifth and final phase of training. The strength of the force has therefore increased by 553 members since June 2002.

The timescale for achieving the target strength of 14,000 members of the Garda Síochána in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government is still as when I announced the Government approval in October 2004 for my proposals to achieve this objective. The phased increase in the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 will lead to a combined strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of 2006, with a fully attested strength of 14,000 by 2008. As part of the accelerated recruitment campaign to facilitate this process, 1,125 Garda recruits were inducted to the Garda college during 2005. It is to continue to induct 1,100 recruits for each of the next two years, by way of intakes to the Garda college of approximately 275 recruits every quarter. This project is fully on target and will be achieved.

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