Written answers

Monday, 8 September 2025

Department of Justice and Equality

An Garda Síochána

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1544. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the percentage of the current membership of An Garda Síochána who will be eligible to retire by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45381/25]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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A Garda member who has completed 30 years of service may opt to retire (voluntary retirement) on full pension at age 50 if they joined before 1 April 2004, or at 55 years of age if they joined on or after that date.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that a cumulative figure of 2,650 Gardaí will become eligible to retire over the period January 2025 to December 2030.

That, of course, does not mean that that number will retire over the next 5 years, only that they will be eligible to do so. For example, a Garda member may have 30 years’ service at age 55 at the end of 2025, but may not retire for the next 7 years at the end of 2032, when they reach the mandatory retirement of 62.

Growing the number of serving Gardaí is a key priority and the Programme for Government includes a commitment to recruiting an additional 5,000 new Garda recruits and additional Garda Staff over the next five years.

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1545. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications to join An Garda Síochána as part of each recruitment campaign in the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45382/25]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda authorities have provided the following information on the number of applications to join An Garda Síochána as part of each recruitment campaign since 2022 and so far in 2025. As you may know, Garda recruitment was paused in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19.

Garda Recruitment Campaign Number of Applications
2025 6,784
2024 6,360
2023 4,973
2022 10,565
I can also inform the Deputy that planning for a second recruitment campaign in 2025 is well advanced and is expected to be launched in September 2025.

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1546. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí who attested in each year since 1995, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45383/25]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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An Garda Síochána publishes data on the allocation and breakdown of Gardaí, including the allocation of Probationer Gardaí, on their website. This can be found at the following link: www.garda.ie/garda/en/about-us/our-departments/human-resources-and-people-development/garda-hr-directorate/garda-strength-breakdown-2025/garda-strength-breakdown-2025.html.

The Deputy can access this by selecting the file titled the “Allocation of Probationer Gardaí by Division and Station (2015 to 30 June 2025)”. It should be noted that this information is operational and may be subject to change.

Furthermore I have been advised that to compile the information, for the period requested, would involve a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources.

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