Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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1427.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 408 of 5 December 2023, the projected and actual number of Garda recruits, resignations, retirements and overall workforce numbers to date in 2024, in tabular form. [30948/24]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1459.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí who have entered the force and the number of Gardaí who have left the force in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [31234/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1427 and 1459 together.

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 Garda Commissioner and I are committed to exploring every avenue which will lead to the increased recruitment of Garda members. This commitment is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion for 2023 and €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda Síochána. This funding includes provision for the continued recruitment of Garda members this year and in particular funding has increased the Trainee Allowance by 66% to €305 per week.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that as of 28 June 2024, the latest date for when figures are available, there was a total of 14,100 Garda members nationwide. This represents an increase of 10% since the end of December 2015.

I am informed that the table below sets out the number of Garda members that attested from the Garda college in the years 2015 up to the 28 June 2024, the date of the latest attestation.

Please note that this information is based upon operational data which has been provided by An Garda Síochána and may be liable to change.

It should also be acknowledged that while Garda numbers have continued to grow over recent years, this growth was significantly and understandably disrupted following the prolonged closure of the Garda College to new intakes for much of 2020 and 2021 due to public health restrictions.

I am further advised that the Attested column refers to the number of candidates who have completed Phase 1 of the Foundation Training Programme and attested as members of An Garda Síochána. I am advised by the Garda authorities that Phase 1 takes around 6 months to complete.

I am also informed that due to the gap from recruitment to attestation, it is often the case that a person would be recruited in one year and attest the following year.

The table below sets out the number of Garda members who resigned and retired in the years 2014 up to the 31 May 2024, the latest date for when figures are available. This information is operational and may be subject to change.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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1428.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 2 of 22 February 2024, for an updated breakdown of the targeted number of Garda recruits in each cohort to begin training in Templemore and to attest for the year 2024, in tabular form. [30949/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. I was pleased to secure unprecedented funding of over €2.35 billion for this year, a 25% increase since 2020, which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that as of 28 June 2024, the latest date for when figures are available, there was a total of 14,100 Garda members nationwide. This represents an increase of 10% since the end of December 2015.

As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff.

A Garda recruitment competition was launched on 15 January 2024 and closed for applications on 8 February. The response to this year’s Garda recruitment campaign was very strong. I am advised by the Garda authorities that 6,381 people applied for the 2024 Garda Trainee Competition.

I am informed that the first intake into the Garda College in 2024 was on 8April and 186 Trainees commenced training on that date. The second intake into the Garda College was on 1 July with 157 Trainees commencing training. I am also informed that there are a further two intakes planned in 2024 and the numbers commencing will be dependent on throughput from the selection processes.

Since the reopening of the Garda college in September 2014 a total of 4,716 Garda members have attested and have been allocated to Garda stations nationwide. This includes the 322 probationer who attested this year.

For your information the table below, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, provides provisional attestation dates for the remainder of 2024. Please note that this information is operational and may be subject to change.

*Based on current numbers in training in the Garda College (as at 30 June 2024)

Target dates and numbers for trainees who will enter the Garda college for the remainder of 2024 are included in the table below.

*Targeted number, dependent on throughput from selection processes.