Written answers
Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
An Garda Síochána
Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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874. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí, by rank, attached to the Garda Immigration Bureau based at Shannon Airport as of 2 May 2025. [23665/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to clarify firstly that the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) is the national Bureau that provides assistance, advice and support to Immigration Officers located in Garda Divisions around the country on the administration and investigation of immigration related matters. Immigration Officers located around the country are not members of GNIB.
As of 2 May 2025, there are 13 Gardaí based in Shannon Airport, consisting of both Sergeant and Garda rank.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of Garda members throughout the State.
Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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875. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí, by rank, attached to Clare-Tipperary divisional drugs unit as of 2 May 2025. [23666/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that, as of the end of February 2025, the latest date for when figures are available, there were 18 Garda members assigned to Clare/Tipperary Divisional Drugs Unit. This includes 15 Garda and 3 Sergeants. Please be advised that this information is operational and may be subject to change.
Tackling drug dealing and targeting the work of organised crime groups, who inflict intimidation, violence and misery on families and communities, is a top priority for the Government and my Department.
A number of key actions have been taken as part of our plan to tackle illegal drug use. These include:
- Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison to tackle those who direct gangland and drug related crime;
- Enacting new laws to criminalise the grooming of children into a life of crime;
- Drafting new laws which will provide for the use of facial recognition technology in the investigation of certain drug offences;
- Rolling out a support programme to break the link between the gangs and the children they try to recruit.
In addition to the legislative and other measures introduced by my Department, unprecedented funding has been provided to An Garda Síochána which has enabled the Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime.
The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) leads in tackling all forms of drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs in Ireland. The GNDOCB was established in 2015. In its first ten years of operation the unit seized €627 million in illicit drugs, 171 firearms and 6,586 rounds of ammunition, and made 1,722 arrests.
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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876. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 573 of 25 March 2025, regarding the details of all new Garda stations planned to be commenced within the next five years, if the requested information is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23682/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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877. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 574 to 582 of 25 March 2025, regarding Garda recruitment, if the requested information is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23683/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the requested information has been provided to me by An Garda Síochána and is set out under.
Physical Competence Test (PCT)
| Year | Number of candidates per competition | Number of failed PCT on appeal (3 attempts) | % of candidates who failed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,809 | 106 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 1,047 | 46 | 4.3% |
| 2024 | 1,324 | - | - |
The figures provided are for those who failed on all three attempts at PCT in 2022 and 2023.
Good Character / Vetting
| Year | Number of candidates per competition | Number deemed unsuitable | Percentage deemed unsuitable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 922 | 25 | 2.7% |
| 2022 | 1,809 | 17 | 0.9% |
| 2023 | 1,047 | * | - |
| 2024 | 1,324 | * | - |
These figures are correct as of 26 March 2025, files remain outstanding for 2022, 2023 & 2024 campaigns, therefore figures above are subject to change.
Substance Misuse Test (SMT)
| Year | Number of candidates per competition | Number of candidates who failed SMT |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,809 | * |
| 2023 | 1,047 | * |
| 2024 | 1,324 | * |
Medical assessment
| Year | Number of candidates per competition | Deemed medically unfit |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,809 | 13 |
| 2023 | 1,047 | * |
| 2024 | 1,324 | * |
An Garda Síochána did not collect the data in the format requested prior to 2022.
Applicants deemed medically unfit did not meet the required clinical standards or they had a medical condition that could not be mitigated for policing operations by means of reasonable accommodations.
Verbal and Numerical Reasoning Tests: Failure rates by year
| Year | Verbal Reasoning Number | Verbal Reasoning % | Numerical Reasoning Number | Numerical Reasoning % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 270 | 5.2% | 309 | 6% |
| 2023 | 146 | 5.4% | 106 | 4% |
| 2024 | 171 | 5.1% | 116 | 3.5% |
The above table provides the number and percentage of candidates who did not pass the online verbal and numerical reasoning tests.
Interview Stage: Failure rates by year
| Year | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 426 out of 2,277 | 18.7% |
| 2023 | 203 out of 1,277 | 15.89% |
| 2024 | 384 out of 1,821 | 21.08% |
The above table provides the number and percentage of candidates who did not pass the interview stage.
Initial Eligibility Checks: Failure rates by year figures have been provided by Public Jobs who manage the initial stages of the Garda recruitment competitions. Figures are available for the last 3 years only.
| Year | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 509 out of 11,074 | 4.50% |
| 2023 | 645 out of 5,309 | 12.10% |
| 2024 | 576 out of 6,958 | 8.27% |
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