Garda numbers fell during the summer months as efforts to increase the size of the force to the Government target of 15,000 continue to falter. There are now fewer sworn Garda members than at the start of last year, despite a recruitment campaign.
A combination of resignations, retirements and smaller than expected classes entering the Garda College has resulted in two years of post-pandemic Garda recruitment making little progress. While the force aims to recruit 200 to the Garda College each year, dozens of successful candidates in each intake have not been taking up their places over the past two years.
In reply to queries, Garda Headquarters said the country was “currently experiencing effective full employment”, as had been the case for several years. “An Garda Síochána is competing in this competitive employment market, as are other public and private employers,” it said.
However, annual recruitment competitions are still taking place and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is on record as saying the force needed to reach 15,000 in the short term and then continue to grow to 18,000 to meet modern policing demands caused by a “growing population”.
Among the measures being used to swell numbers are the temporary relaxation of the compulsory retirement age. It has been increased from 60 to 62 years for Garda members which should retain some experienced members. A new class of recruits is also set to pass out from the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, later this month.
A new report by Mr Harris to the Policing Authority puts the total strength of the Garda at 14,064 members at the end of July. That was 35 lower than at the end of June, and comes after a net fall in numbers last year of 135.
Garda sources said they were now concerned that a very significant effort over the past two years to recruit more gardaí had fallen well short of even returning the force to pre-pandemic levels. In the first half of 2020, there were 14,750 gardaí.
Though numbers have at times climbed higher than this figure in recent years, especially immediately after new classes pass out from the Garda College, they gradually fall back again – through resignations and retirements – by the time the next class graduates. Some of the growth recorded at times over the past 12-18 months is also attributable to factors other than recruitment.
For example, the number of Garda members at the end of July was 121 higher than at the end of July last year. However, well over half of that increase was due to gardaí who reached retirement age being allowed to apply to have their service extended for a period, usually of one year. A total of 137 applications were approved for extension between January 2023 and last month.
The Department of Justice said Garda “recruitment has regained significant momentum”. It said 157 gardaí had passed out in June, bringing Garda numbers to 14,100, up 10 per cent on 2015. It said the Government was “determined” to grow the Garda force to 15,000 and had increased the age of entry from 35 to 50 years, with the compulsory retirement age raised from 60 to 62 years. A review of Garda recruitment and retention is also under way.
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