Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Garda Recruitment.
- Garda recruitment and staffing levels 6 speeches
The Minister said 264 gardaí were recruited in the year to April 1986. Garda strength was to remain at 11,400 under the national plan, with actual numbers fluctuating around that level and deployment left to Garda authorities.
Mervyn Taylor, Alan M. Dukes
- 1982 Garda applicants waiting list 4 speeches
Treacy asked how far the 1982 applicants’ list had been reached, whether applicants had been offered prison-officer jobs, and whether new examinations were planned. The Minister recalled reaching about 1,400 male and 200 female applicants, but did not know the prison-officer figure and suggested a separate question.
Noel Treacy, Alan M. Dukes
asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí recruited in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Comment on this
The number of gardaí recruited to the force during the 12 months ended 30 April 1986 was 264.
Comment on this
Could I ask the Minister if he has an assessment of the needs of the Garda force for the current year, whether he has requests from any of the divisions around the country because of shortages in manpower and if he would comment on the level of staffing of the Garda generally in this connection?
Comment on this
I wish to remind the House that the national plan provides that the strength of the Garda force will be kept at 11,400 during the period 1985-87. That is the highest strength that we have had for a number of years. I do not think it would be proper for me to discuss here requests from various Garda divisions for different levels of manpower. Within the overall strength, which, as I have said, will remain at 11,400, the deployment of manpower resources is a matter for the Garda authorities.
Comment on this
On 31 December 1985 the figure was 11,396. On 30 April 1986 it was 11,343. It fluctuates up or down around that figure. I cannot guarantee that the figure will be 11,400 every day.
Comment on this
Can the Minister tell us what number has been reached on the list of the present group of people who passed examinations in 1982 for admittance to the Garda Síochána? Can he tell us how many of these have been invited to take positions as prison officers? Has he any proposals for the holding of new examinations?
Comment on this
Speaking from memory — I am subject to correction on this and perhaps the Deputy would refer to the last letter he received from my office — we had reached number 1,400 on the list of male applicants. In the case of female applicants my memory is probably less reliable but I think the figure is around 200. That figure may well be wrong but if the Deputy would remind me after Question Time I can get the precise figure for him. The second part of the question was——