Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda recruits currently in training; the number scheduled for further intakes in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30586/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. In 2017, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians to support the wide ranging reform plan in train in An Garda Síochána. Funding has also been provided for the recruitment of 300 Garda Reserves.

Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 by 2021 will require some 2,400 new Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over the next three years in addition to the 2,000 that will have been recruited by the end of this year since the re-opening of the Garda College in September 2014.

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that since the reopening of the College, that just under 1,000 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. I am also informed that there are 605 student Gardaí attending the College for phase 1 training who are scheduled to attest this year which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increase to around the 13,500 mark by year end - an increase of 500 since the end of 2016. Two further intakes of 200 Garda trainees to the College are planned for August and November which will bring the total intake to 800 this year.

Progress on reaching the target of 15,000 is proceeding apace. In order to ensure that it is reached it will require a continuous pipeline of suitable candidates. In this regard I am pleased to say that the recruitment campaign launched by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Commissioner last May, again received a strong response with more than 5,000 people applying.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources she needs to allow her to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Garda Division.