asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda recruits that can be accommodated at Templemore Garda Training Centre; the length of the training period; and if, having regard to the time which will elapse before all these recruits are fully qualified for service in the force, he will state the net effect the intake will have on the total strengh, taking normal wastage into account.

The net effect of the decision to increase the strength of the force will be that 500 extra gardaí will be added to the ranks, that is, 500 over and above what will be needed to offset wastage, and that, accordingly, the strength of the force will be approximately 9,000 as compared with the present strength of approximately 8,500. About 200 Garda recruits can be accommodated at the Garda Training Centre, Templemore, and the training period is 22 weeks. Normal wastage will, of course, continue during the period when recruits are being trained and while it is not possible to forecast with accuracy when the force will reach the new strength of just over 9,000, it would appear that it will do so in about 18 months from the time the first batch of recruits begin their training.