Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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473. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the next allocation of Garda recruits will be going to Templemore; if persons who were previously approved and on the waiting list will be contacted first in respect of offers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44260/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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An Garda Síochána has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion for 2021. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. As a result, there are now some 14,600 Garda members and over 3,000 Garda staff nationwide. Budget 2021 will allow for the recruitment of up to 620 new Gardaí and an extra 500 Garda staff.

As the Deputy will appreciate, recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. The Public Appointments Service (PAS), on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, manages the initial recruitment stages for selection of Garda Trainees, with the final stages of the recruitment process, in which candidates are vetted, complete a physical competency test and a medical examination, managed by the Commissioner. Medicals and physical competence elements are currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Garda Síochána have implemented a new online learning approach delivered via a Learning Management Platform to provide for the continued delivery of the Foundation Training Programme for Garda recruits during this period.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that it is expected that the next intake of Garda recruits will be in March 2021 and that persons that were previously approved and on the waiting list will be contacted first in relation to offers.

The Deputy may wish to be aware that there are currently 782 candidates at various stages of the vetting, medical and physical competence elements of the recruitment process. New recruits will mainly be drawn from this group if they are successful in the three elements.