Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason Garda reservists must resign from the reserve before applying to join the Garda on a full-time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32353/09]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications that have been received by reservists to join the Garda full-time; the number of same who were refused on the basis of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32354/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of Garda Reserve members who have applied to become full-time gardaí but were unsuccessful; and the reason they were rejected.. [32437/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 219 and 231 together.

There is no requirement for Reserve Gardaí to resign before applying to join the force as a full-time member. In actual fact membership of the Reserve potentially enhances an applicant's chances of securing a position as a full-time Garda. The Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (SI 509 of 2006) provide that the Public Appointments Service, when interviewing applicants, must give "due recognition to any satisfactory service by the person as a reserve member of the Garda Síochána".

If a Reserve Garda is successful in his or her application to join as a full-time member and is offered a place as a full-time trainee, he or she must then resign from their Reserve membership before taking up the place as a trainee as the two functions are wholly separate and distinct. The Admissions and Appointments Regulations for full-time Gardaí are predicated on a trainee being a civilian who can only be appointed to membership of the force upon successful completion of his or her traineeship.

Applications to become members of An Garda Síochána are processed by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of An Garda Síochána. Admission to become a member is subject to the provisions of the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointment) Regulations as amended, which include a provision covering minimum and maximum recruitment ages. Any applicant who does not meet the criteria as set out in the Regulations is not allowed progress through the competitive process.

The specific information on the number of Garda reserve members who apply to join An Garda Síochána on a full time basis and fail due to the age requirement or otherwise is not readily available.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his refusal to raise the age limit for recruitment to the Garda from 35 years relates to concerns about the cost of pensions or fitness levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32355/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of successful applicants to the Garda Síochána since September 2005 who started their training after they reached their 36th birthday; and their ages when they started training.. [32430/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of successful applicants to the Garda Síochána who applied at the age of 35 and will now have to wait to start their training because of the moratorium; and what their ages will be when the moratorium is lifted and they start their training.. [32431/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the list of criteria and the reason that he and the Garda Commissioner consider people over the age of 35 unsuitable for full-time service in the Garda Síochána.. [32438/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 220, 224, 225 and 232 together.

Recruitment in An Garda Síochána is governed under Statutory Regulation namely, the Garda Síochána (Admission & Appointments) Regulations 1988/2005 as amended by Regulation 3 of the Garda Síochána (Admission & Appointments) Regulations 2004. The most recent change to the upper age limit was made by Statutory Instrument 749/2004 which amended regulation 164 of 1988 and increased the maximum entry age for admission as a trainee Garda from 26 years to 35 years.

This upper age limit of 35 was set having regard to equality legislation and also took into account the following criteria:

(1) The cost of training

(2) The need for recruits to serve for a sufficient period of time as full members of the service to recoup this cost.

(3) The operational requirements of the service in terms of having an age profile appropriate to the physical demands placed on members in the course of their duty.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of successful applicants to An Garda Síochána since 2005 who started their training after their 36th birthday, and their ages, was as set out hereunder:

I have requested the information from the Garda Authorities in relation to the number of successful applicants who applied at the age of 35 and have not yet started their training and I will revert to the Deputy when the information is to hand.

The moratorium on Public Service recruitment now applies to Garda recruitment, but I intend to review the position during the course of 2010 in consultation with the Garda Commissioner and my colleague the Minister for Finance.