Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 149: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí nationally; the number of trainee gardaí in Templemore; the timeframe for the existing trainees to graduate; and the number of people who have been accepted to the Garda Síochána but have yet to commence their training. [36462/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the total strength of the Force as of the 30 September 2008, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 14,284 with a further 1,074 in training.

There are currently 513 students undergoing training at the Garda College in Templemore with a further 561 in training at Garda Stations throughout the country.

The current Student/ Probationer Education, Training and Development programme course in An Garda Síochána consists of five separate but integrated Phases. Phase I (20 weeks), Phase III (16 weeks) and Phase V (4 weeks) of the Training Programme are conducted at the Garda College with the exception of the final four weeks of Phase III which are delivered at operational training Stations. Phase II (22 weeks) and Phase IV (38 weeks) are conducted at designated operational training Stations. Garda trainees are attested to the Force on successful completion of Phase III of their training. On attestation, Garda trainees become serving members of the Force and are accounted for in the total strength. Formal graduation takes place following the completion of the fifth and final phase of training. The following are details of the Student/Probationer Gardaí currently in training and their respective Graduation dates.

I am further informed that the next intake of trainees to the Garda College is scheduled to take place on the 5th November 2008 at which one hundred students will be admitted to the training programme.