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For Oral Answer on : 26/09/2024
Question Number(s): 43 Question Reference(s): 38152/24
Department: Justice
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Justice to outline the current situation with respect to recruitment to the Garda Reserve; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The Garda Reserve represents a real opportunity for anyone wishing to make a contribution to their community and, in some cases, learn more about the role of a Garda member prior to seeking to join An Garda Síochána full time. Reserves serve a very valuable role in assisting Gardaí with local patrols, crime reduction initiatives and administration. They also assist in the policing of major incidents and events, and provide operational support to Gardaí on the basis of the Garda Reserve’s skills or local knowledge.
Earlier this year I was delighted to launch the Garda Reserve recruitment campaign, the first since 2017, which was run by Public Jobs on behalf of the Commissioner. The competition closed on 4 July and I can confirm that over 1,800 applications were received.
To further support this competition, I was pleased to bring forward new regulations governing recruitment, training and deployment of the Reserve. While their work is voluntary, an annual stipend is paid to Reserve members and the maximum payment has been increased to €3,000, based on the number of hours volunteered.
There are currently around 320 Garda Reserves, and Government has set a target of 1,000 Reserves by 2026. I am fully committed to working with the Garda Commissioner to achieve this goal.
I believe this also represents a great opportunity to broaden the recruitment pool for An Garda Siochana particularly among communities which have not traditionally joined the service in large numbers.
Being a Garda Reserve offers a unique opportunity to experience what is required as a Garda. For some it is a driving factor in applying to become a Garda, and for others it is an opportunity to volunteer and make a real difference in their community. I am advised by the Garda authorities that over 80 Garda Reserves have gone on to train as full-time Gardaí.
In recognition of this being utilised as a career path, An Garda Síochána has created a Garda Reserve Stream, enabling Garda Reserve members to apply to become Gardaí if they meet certain criteria. This stream is separate to the open competition stream and the application process is managed by PAS on behalf of the Commissioner.
Additionally, training for Reserve Gardaí will be delivered through a blended approach. It will require attendance at the Garda College, Templemore for some elements of this training, in addition to online and experiential workplace learning at assigned training stations. This will provide further opportunities for Reserve Gardaí to experience the operational, day to day, aspects of policing as a career.
Every measure will be considered when it comes to boosting overall Garda recruitment and I am continuing to look at additional measures we can take. The Garda Reserve is a big part of our plan. I wish all those who applied the best of luck, and look forward to welcoming new members of the Reserve in the coming months.
