Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 508: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to lift the Garda recruitment ban following the loss of hundreds of gardaí from the force as a result of retirements up to and including 29 February 2012; and if he will confirm the number of these new recruits that will be drawn from the Garda Reserve. [5670/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The moratorium on Public Service Recruitment continues to apply to the Garda Síochána and no date has been fixed for future intakes into the Garda College. A decision on when recruitment will re-commence will take into account the rate of retirements and Government targets, set in the context of the agreement with the EU and the IMF, to reduce the number of public servants.

Recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by Statutory Regulations, namely the Garda Síochána (Admission & Appointments) Regulations 1988/2005. These regulations incorporate the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 which allow the Public Appointments Service to give due recognition to any satisfactory service by a person as a reserve member of the Garda Síochána.