Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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416. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when applicants for the Garda reserves that applied in April 2017 will be called to complete their full training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54226/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the allocation of resources including the recruitment and training of Garda members and members of the Garda Reserve is entirely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no responsibility in this matter.

An Garda Síochána has indicated that a training class of approximately 100 Garda Reserves will commence training in the first quarter of 2019.

It should also be noted that to inform future decisions around the use of the Reserve, An Garda Síochána is currently conducting a strategic review as a matter of priority. This approach is in line with the recommendation in the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

On 18 December 2018, the Government endorsed the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and agreed to accept all 157 key recommendations contained in the report, including those related to the Garda Reserve. On 18 December 2018 I also published a four year high level plan, ‘A Policing Service for the Future’, which sets out the approach to implementation of the Commission's recommendations. The Strategic Review of the Garda Reserve will be one of the key issues advanced throughout 2019.