Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 391: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí who will be appointed in 2006 and the number who will be appointed in 2007. [38895/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that a total of 1,125 student gardaí were inducted to the Garda college during 2005. It is anticipated that these student gardaí will be attested to the Garda Síochána during 2006. In addition, the Garda Commissioner plans that a total of 1,100 student gardaí will be inducted into the Garda college during 2006 with these student gardaí being attested in 2007.

Garda management states that it is not possible to give a definitive number of personnel to be appointed to the Garda Síochána in 2006 and 2007. Few trainees, typically around 2%, would not be attested to the force due to failures, resignations, disciplinary proceedings, etc. at phases I, II and III of the student-probationer training programme. However, as the numbers I have given show, a significant number of gardaí will be attested to the force, with full Garda powers, in 2006 and 2007.

The accelerated recruitment campaign to reach a record force strength of 14,000, in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government, is fully on target. This will lead to a combined strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of 2006.