Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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86. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when more Garda recruits will begin training; if there is a schedule in place for recruiting and the training of new recruits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38642/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the first intake since 2009 of 100 new recruits entered training at the Garda College in Templemore on Monday 15th September 2014. This marked a positive step forward for policing in Ireland. It is my intention that there will be ongoing seamless recruitment and I am discussing the details of this with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

In relation to training, in February 2008 the Garda Commissioner established a group to review training and development for Garda and civilian staff in the Garda Síochána. The report of the review group was published in May 2009 and the contents were noted by the Government of the time.

The objective of the Review Group was to make recommendations to improve and reinvigorate Garda training in line with best practice in order to meet the new challenges of a changing society. One of the Key Recommendations identified by the group was that the student/probationer training programme should be radically restructured

The course for Garda trainees is a high level BA course, which necessitates a certain academic capability. The revised training programme stemming from the recommendations of the Review Group was devised in order to better prepare recruits for the modern policing environment.

The main differences between the new and the previous programme is that the new programme carries a greater emphasis on operational policing and focuses on real life scenarios which in turn prepare students for the policing challenges they will face. The new programme will also instil a lifelong learning philosophy for members of the Garda Síochána, with a suite of mandatory and elective courses made available.

The restructured student/probationer training will be carried out in three phases. Phase I is for 32 weeks at the Garda College, at the end of which successful students will be attested (i.e. become members of the Garda Síochána with full police powers). Phase II is for 65 weeks based in Garda stations, and Phase III consists of seven weeks of exam preparation, exams and assessments (total 104 weeks).