Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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304. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which the strength of An Garda Síochána continues to be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43195/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be appreciate, the Garda Commissioner has responsibility to manage and control generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including by arranging for the recruitment, training and appointment of its members and civilian staff.

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 to deter crime. The Deputy will be aware An Garda Síochána is currently undertaking a programme of accelerated recruitment, as part of the Government’s commitment to a strengthened service through the Five Year High Level Reform and Workforce Plan to achieve an overall workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, including 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Garda Reserve Members and 4,000 civilians. We are making real, tangible progress on achieving this goal.

Since the re-opening of Templemore College in September 2014, we have been rebuilding the Garda organisation and I am pleased that, since then, approximately 2,200 new Garda members have attested and assigned to duties in communities throughout the country. Garda numbers, taking account of retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 – a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016. With another attestation of approximately 200 Garda recruits due to take place on 30 November, Garda numbers will increase to approximately 14,000 by the end of this year for the first time since 2011.

I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce to ensure that the vision of an overall workforce of 21,000 by 2021 remains on track. By year end, a further 800 new Garda Recruits will have entered the Garda College in 2018. To support the Commissioner in this recruitment, I have also secured funding in Budget 2019 which facilitates the recruitment of up to 800 more Gardaí next year.  The Budget also provides for the necessary civilian Garda staff to fill critical skills gaps and enable the further redeployment of Gardaí to front line duties.

As I said on Budget day, the Commissioner will need to consider all aspects of the funding requirement in the Garda Vote and how all resources at his disposal can be best deployed including in relation to the composition of the Service.  I expect to receive his proposals in this regard shortly.

In addition to the vision of 15,000 Garda members by 2021, plans are also in place for 4,000 civilians and 2,000 Reserves. I am informed by the Commissioner that as of 31 August 2018 there were 2,330 civilians undertaking administrative and technical duties within An Garda Síochána. I am encouraged that the number of civilians working in An Garda Síochána continues to increase, albeit more slowly than anticipated.  It is clear, however, that progress is being made with close to 300 new civilian staff posts sanctioned to fill critical skills gaps across the organisation.  This will allow more Gardaí to focus on operational policing duties where their training and specialist expertise can be put to best use. Already approximately 150 Gardaí have been redeployed to operational policing duties and I expect these numbers to accelerate in the coming months and throughout 2019. Work is also continuing on a strategic review of the Garda Reserve which I expect to be concluded shortly.

As the Deputy will also be aware the Commission on the Future of Policing published its report on 18 September. This innovative report sets out a number of recommendations across the policing sector and in particular on the work of An Garda Síochána, including the Garda Reserve. I am currently consulting widely on the issues raised including with the Garda Commissioner in advance of returning to Government in December with my substantive response and a High Level Implementation Plan. 

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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305. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who applied for the current competition for An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43196/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013 the Public Appointments Service, on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, manages the initial recruitment stages for the selection of Garda trainees. The final stages of the recruitment process in which candidates are vetted, and complete a physical competency test and a medical examination, are managed by the Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct involvement in the matter.

I am informed that the most recent recruitment campaign which closed for applications on the 7 June 2018 again received a strong response with approximately 6,300 applications received. This compares favourably to the 2017 competition which received approximately 5,400 applications and indicates that a career in An Garda Síochána continues to be regarded as an attractive and rewarding profession.  

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.

Since the re-opening of Templemore College in September 2014, the Government has been committed to rebuilding the Garda organisation and I am pleased that, since then, approximately 2,200 new Garda members have attested and been assigned to duties in communities throughout the country. Garda numbers, taking account of retirements, increased to approximately 13,500 at the end of 2017 – a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016. With another attestation of approximately 200 Garda recruits due to take place in November, Garda numbers will increase to approximately 14,000 by the end of this year for the first time since 2011.

By year end, a further 800 new Garda Recruits will have entered the Garda College in 2018 and I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce to ensure that the vision of an overall workforce of 21,000 by 2021 remains on track. In that regard to support the Commissioner in this recruitment, I have also secured funding in Budget 2019 which will facilitate the recruitment of up to 800 more Gardaí next year.

This is an ambitious programme of recruitment and will require a continuous pipeline of suitable candidates. Any candidate for a position as a Garda trainee should contact the Public Appointments Service or the Garda Appointments Office if they have any queries in relation to their application.