Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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60. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 70 of 30 of June 2016, the projected number of retirements from An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2017 to 2021. [21883/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Projected retirements from An Garda Síochána are kept under continuing review and the level of recruitment adjusted as necessary in order to achieve the desired strength of An Garda Síochána.

Retirement of members of An Garda Síochána is governed by statutory provisions which set the mandatory retirement age for all members at 60 years of age. Members of An Garda Síochána who joined the organisation prior to 1 April 2004 may retire on full pension once they have served for at least 30 years and they have reached 50 years of age. Members of An Garda Síochána who joined the organisation on or after 1 April 2004 may retire on full pension once they have served at least 30 years and have reached 55 years of age. Accordingly a member has the option of continuing to serve until they reach 60 years of age.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the following table sets out the mandatory retirements (those who reach 60 years of age) for the years 2017-2021. I am further advised, based on a thorough analysis of historical data, that the Garda authorities project retirements overall this year, that is mandatory retirements and voluntary retirements, to be around the 300 mark with similar projections for the coming years.

Mandatory Retirements 2017 - 2021