Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí who left the force within five years of joining the force, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2025. [24062/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised that a total of 400 Gardaí left the service within five years of joining in the past ten years, as of 9 May 2025. There were none recorded in 2015. The breakdown for 2016 to 2025 is as follows:

2016 12

2017 8

2018 26

2019 41

2020 42

2021 63

2022 59

2023 68

2024 65

2025 16

I am advised that, while these figures are largely accounted for by resignations, they also include small numbers of dismissals and deaths in service. It should be noted that data is operational and may be subject to change. There is still a strong interest in a career in An Garda Síochána. The latest Garda recruitment campaign in February attracted 6,784 applicants and I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that they plan to run a second competition later this year. But it is not a career that suits everyone and it is increasingly the case, especially in Ireland's very strong economy, that younger people do not wish to stay in a job for life. It is also the case that some Gardaí rejoin again after leaving the organisation.

The number of Gardaí who opt to resign is still low by any objective standard, with the resignation rate currently between 1% and 2%. According to An Garda Síochána, its level of resignations is far below those experienced by UK police services, which is approximately 10%, and is far below those experienced by the private sector which is between 10% and 20%. In addition, police services in the US, New Zealand, and Canada have all reported an increase in resignations in excess of the Garda resignation rate in the last few years.