James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views on recruitment concerns within An Garda Síochána; the plans he has laid out for future recruitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7735/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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At the outset I would like to inform the Deputy that since 2015 a total of 4,029 recruits have been through Templemore and there has been an increase of over 10% in the number of Garda members to the current total of 14,133. These Gardaí are supported by 3,126 Garda staff which is more than 50% on the number assigned in 2015, while over 880 Garda members have been freed up from back office duties to front line policing due to civilianisation.

While the Government’s objective is to support ongoing growth in the organisation, it is important to understand that recruitment was significantly and understandably disrupted when Templemore was necessarily closed during the COVID pandemic.

It must also be recognised that recruitment to An Garda Síochána - our national policing and security service – requires the Commissioner to be satisfied, not just of the general qualifications and physical fitness of applicants given the demanding nature of the job, but also of their general suitability and integrity. The Commissioner is determined to maintain the calibre of candidates which has served An Garda Síochána well over the last century and I share that commitment to high standards. Candidates must therefore be carefully vetted and assessed. It is increasingly the case that many candidates have lived abroad for some time and therefore these processes can take longer than previously and are somewhat outside the direct control of An Garda Síochána.

I very much support the Commissioner’s ambition to accelerate Garda recruitment coming out of the pandemic.

The Commissioner and his team have assured me that the target to recruit 1,000 new Gardaí in 2023 will be achieved. A new Garda recruitment competition will be commenced in the coming months.

It is clear from the response to last year's competition that, despite intense competition in the employment market, a career in An Garda Síochána is attractive to a large number of people and it is equally clear from the 2022 Garda Culture Audit that Gardaí have high levels of job satisfaction, notwithstanding the risks and challenges associated with their role. While the recruitment process takes time for the reasons I've outlined, there is every reason to be confident that An Garda Síochána will continue to attract the numbers required to keep the public safe. I can assure the Deputy that this Government will not be found wanting in its support for that objective.