“This week’s intake of new Garda recruits to Templemore is the third in only a matter of months and brings to 300 the number of new Gardaí in training”, says David Stanton, Fine Gael TD for Cork East and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality.
“Garda recruitment restarted in 2014 since the embargo was implemented 5 years earlier by the previous Government. In addition to this, a capital allocation of €42 million in 2015 has been made for the provision of three new Garda Divisional Headquarters, and €27.5 million has been provided for investment in the Garda fleet between 2012 and 2015.
“Despite the economic crisis which this Government inherited, we have continuously reiterated our commitment to ensuring that we have a strong and efficient system of policing. It is vital that we have a visible and effective police service which families, businesses and communities can rely on.
“An Garda Síochána is currently undergoing a series of reforms to ensure it can meet the expectations of a 21st century police service and to ensure continued public trust in it as an institution”, said Deputy Stanton.
“Considerable progress has already been made in this regard; Minister Fitzgerald has published the General Scheme of a Bill to provide for the establishment of the new Independent Policing Authority, the Garda Síochána (Amendment No. 3) Bill 2014 has been introduced to Dáil Éireann and its passage has been prioritised to expand the remit and powers of Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), and The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 has amended the relevant legislation to allow members of the Gardaí to make “protected disclosures” to GSOC.
