Irish Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan wants to boost Garda numbers
Irish Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan wants to boost Garda numbers
Better pay could tempt some PSNI officers to transfer to the gardai, Ireland’s justice minister has said.
Jim O’Callaghan said recruiting officers from Northern Ireland could be a “useful method” of boosting numbers in the Republic.
Currently there are 14,167 garda members in the Republic, an increase of around 10% since 2015 – although Ireland’s opposition parties pointed out that as the national population has surged, there are now fewer gardaí per capita than in 2005.
Mr O’Callaghan suggested better financial incentives could open the door to recruits from Northern Ireland.
“We are at a stage where we are trying to recruit as many members into An Garda Síochána as we can,” Mr O’Callaghan told the Dáil on Thursday.
He said he understood that there are serving PSNI officers living in the Irish Republic who would like to become members of An Garda Síochána, and this could be a means of quickly boosting the numbers, given reports that a second garda college will be needed to meet recruitment requirements.
“At present, their difficulty is that in order to become a member of An Garda Síochána through the standard route, they would have to go to Templemore [Garda College]. That would involve them having to give up their jobs in the PSNI, which would be extremely difficult,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
The new recruits will be based at the Store Street and Pearse Street garda stations in Dublin city centre. Photo: stock image
The new recruits will be based at the Store Street and Pearse Street garda stations in Dublin city centre. Photo: stock image
He added that he would consult with senior management in An Garda Síochána on the matter.
“I would like to know if there are many members of the PSNI living in this jurisdiction who would like to transfer over,” he added.
“Obviously, there would have to be certain requirements in order for them to do so. I would have thought that if those requirements can be met, it would be a useful method of trying to increase numbers. I will consult with the Commissioner.”
He then added: “Another relevant point is that there is nothing stopping people in the North who are not in the PSNI from applying to become members of An Garda Síochána.
“I suspect the terms and conditions are more favourable than those relating to people who join the PSNI. That is something we need to focus on. People from the North are welcome to apply to seek to join An Garda Síochána.”
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The Irish Independent reported that 66 new gardaí are to go to Pearse Street and Store Street garda stations in Dublin. It will be a boost to the force in Dublin city centre, around the streets that were hit by the November 2023 riots.
The decision follows consultations between Mr O’Callaghan and outgoing Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, but was kept under wraps as an operational matter.
Almost €9m has been provided for new and enhanced public-order equipment since the riots, including two water-cannon vehicles bought from the PSNI at a cost of €1m each.
New garda body armour distributed last year cost €2.7m, with a further €392,000 for riot overalls and an extra €281,000 for torso protectors, more commonly known as flak jackets.
Gardaí were also given €325,000 worth of “stronger strength” incapacitant spray in a variety of forms, such as CS gas and pepper spray.
The stocks will be routinely available to all members on public order duty.
Meanwhile, the two water-cannon vehicles have been overhauled and recalibrated, and are now operationally ready for deployment on Irish streets where needed.
There was criticism of their absence during violent protests and agitation last July outside the former Crown Paints factory in Coolock, north Dublin, which was to be repurposed as migrant accommodation.
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