Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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68. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications the Garda recruitment competition 2022 received; and the number of these applicants that are currently progressing through the recruitment process. [60505/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including for the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, as shown by the unprecedented allocation provided in Budget 2023 of €2.14 billion. This level of funding will support the planned recruitment of up to 1,000 new Garda members and 400 new Garda staff.

There was a high level of interest in the recent Garda recruitment campaign and the recruitment process is continuing to identify candidates to enter the Garda College over the coming period.

More specifically, I am informed by the Garda authorities that 11,075 applications were received as part of the 2022 campaign and that 5,362 applicants completed the Stage 1 assessment, with 4,706 deemed to have successfully completed it.  I understand that candidates are being invited in batches to the Stage 2 assessments and subsequent interviews and physical competency test with An Garda Síochána.

As the Deputy may be aware, 92 successful candidates entered the Garda College on 28 November 2022.  This is the first group to enter from this competition. Hundreds more are at various stages of the selection and clearance process, and due to enter the college over the course of 2023. 

In particular, further intakes of 200 trainees are scheduled at 11 week intervals over the course of next year, beginning in Q1 2022.