Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the strength of the Garda Reserve; and the estimated full year cost of increasing it to 2,500. [29326/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Garda Commissioner that as of 12 May 2017, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 644 Reserve Gardaí. It is regrettable that there has been a substantial reduction in the strength of the Reserve in recent years from a peak of 1,164 in 2013. The fall-off arises from a range of factors, not least the lifting in 2014 of the moratorium on recruitment of trainee Gardaí which has affected Reserve numbers in two ways - firstly some 200 serving Reserves have successfully applied to become trainee Gardaí, and secondly, resources in both An Garda Síochána and in the Public Appointment Service have been focused on delivering an accelerated programme of recruitment of full time members of An Garda Síochána.

I am sure that the Deputy will agree, notwithstanding the very valuable contribution of Reserve members throughout the country, that it was the right decision, with finite resources, to prioritise the running of recruitment campaigns to replenish the full-time ranks of An Garda Síochána over the last three years. With the plan to reach 15,000 Garda members well on track it was possible for the Commissioner and the Public Appointments Service to undertake a new recruitment campaign for Garda Reserves. That is now in train and will, allowing for the selection process and necessary training of successful candidates, facilitate a start to be made on strengthening of the Reserve across every Garda Division, in the coming years.

As the Deputy will be aware service in the Garda Reserve is voluntary and unpaid. However, an allowance is payable to Reserve members who complete a minimum of 208 hours duty annually as a contribution towards expenses incurred in performing their duties. The allowance is currently set at €1,000 per annum. In addition, the uniform cost per Reserve member is in the region of €1,300. As such, should all recruits complete the minimum of 208 hours duty annually, the full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve to 2,500 is approximately €4.3m . The costs associated with the training of the reserve members is considered part of the Garda trainers’ normal duty and is therefore not identifiable.