The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD and Minister of State James Browne TD today attended a Passing-Out ceremony at the Garda College in Templemore to welcome 157 newly-attested Garda members.

The new Garda members have now completed their training and will be assigned to Garda Divisions throughout the country.

Speaking today, Minister McEntee said, “I am delighted to see such a vibrant, diverse group becoming Gardaí today. The sense of pride here in Templemore is palpable – the pride of the recruits and their loved ones in what they have achieved, their pride in the uniform and the organisation they have joined and pride in their decision to take on the duty of service to the State. That commitment to public service is something for which we as a country are all grateful for, and for the individual Garda it is both a privilege and an honour that comes with great responsibility to the people you serve.

“Today is a day that marks the end of a long journey of determination and hard work to get to here, and the now the beginning of a new journey into a career that will be no doubt challenging, but I hope immensely fulfilling for you all.

“I would like to thank each of you for making this commitment to serve and protect the people of Ireland – I offer you my sincerest gratitude and congratulations. “

Today’s attestations bring the total number of members of An Garda Síochána to over 14,000, up from 12,943 Garda members in 2016. Of those attesting today, 53 members (35%) are women while 17 members (11%) were born outside the State.

The Minister added, “Today is further evidence of the growing momentum in recruitment into An Garda Síochána. We’ve seen significant interest in a career with An Garda Síochána in the recent recruitment competition. New intakes and Passing Out ceremonies are now taking place in the Garda College several times a year.

“I am delighted to see four of today’s new Gardaí are former reserve members. The current recruitment campaign for reserves remains open until the 4th of July and I would encourage anyone interested in contributing to safety in their community to consider applying. As their success today demonstrates, time as a reserve can also lay an excellent foundation for a future full-time career in policing.

“As Minister I am committed to building safer communities and a full strength An Garda Síochána including Garda staff and Reserves is at the heart of that. We have taken significant measures to boost recruitment by increasing the training allowance for Gardaí, increasing the entry age to 50 and we are currently working to increase the mandatory retirement age to 62. The government is also supporting An Garda Síochána in being an employer of choice for all through significant budget provision for training, employee welfare and technology to support a modern policing service. ”

Minister of State James Browne said, “I would like to echo Minister McEntee in congratulating all of those attesting from the Garda College today. The high-quality training they will have received here in Templemore will serve them well and provide all the fundamentals they will need to succeed as a Garda.

“Their service in uniform will be an inspiration to many, as has the service of the members who have come before them. They will be both protectors and examples for our young people as they progress through their careers as Gardaí. I want to thank them for choosing to serve and protect their communities and wish them well for the future.”

103 probationer Gardai have been assigned to the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), 38 to the Eastern Region, 11 to the Southern Region, and 6 to the North Western Region. 4 of those attesting today are former Garda Reserve members.

Budget 2024 reflects the commitment of the government to ensuring that our communities are safe and that An Garda Síochána has the resources required to operate effectively. The budget provided by the government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024.

Today is the second attestation to take place at the Garda College in 2024, with a further attestation planned for September this year.

An intake of 185 trainees entered the Garda College in April. This was the first of four intakes planned for April, July, September and December of this year.

(Source: Department of Justice)