Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality regarding correspondence (details supplied) if she will consider, in view of the commitment to An Garda Síochána, their communities and country shown by members of the Garda Reserve, and in view of the potential savings in training costs, altering the relevant legislation to give reserve members priority in any recruitment programme for the full-time force and to waive the 35 year age limit where a person had joined the reserve force before that age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45620/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, one of the primary functions of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Acts, is to direct and control all members of An Garda Síochána, including the Garda Reserve. In this regard, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of all resources, including fully sworn members and Reserve Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of security assessments, crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

I wish to put on record my appreciation for the contribution that those who volunteer for service as Garda Reserve members make on a daily basis to the work of An Garda Síochána. Together with full time members, they provide vital assistance to communities and neighbourhoods right across the country.

The age at which any candidate may apply to join the Garda Síochána as a full time member is set by regulation 4(a) of the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013 which states as follows:

4. Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, a person is eligible to apply for admission as a trainee where, on the closing date specified in the advertisement for the competition to which the admission relates—(a) the person has attained 18 years of age but has not yet attained 35 years of age.