Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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339. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the current strength of An Garda Síochána reserve and the full-year cost of increasing it to 2,500. [46058/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the recruitment and training of the Garda Reserve is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter.

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the annual allowance payable to Reserve Gardaí as a contribution towards their expenses is set at €1,000 per annum. In addition, the uniform cost per Reserve Garda is in the region of €1,300. As such the cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve to 2,500 from the current figure of 978 attested Reserve Gardaí (plus a further 21 at various stages of training) would amount approximately €3.5 million.