Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the number and the dates on which garda recruits will be taken on in 2011; if the advertisement of June 2010 still applies; the number of applications on hand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46631/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The moratorium on recruitment and appointments continues to apply to An Garda Síochána with provisions for exceptions following agreement with the Minister for Finance. The purpose of organising a recruitment campaign earlier this year was to begin the process of establishing a panel of potential applicants who could go on to be recruited as members of An Garda Síochána. This early planning is essential considering that the recruitment and training process - from initial formal application to attestation as a sworn member - could take up to 14 months to complete.

Since that announcement was made, the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 was developed and published. The plan provides for a reduction in the number of members of An Garda Síochána to 13,000 by the end of 2014. This reduction, and the rate at which it is achieved through retirements, will be taken into account in determining when recruitment will commence.

The Garda recruitment process is managed by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Commissioner and I have no function in that matter.