The ASGI is expecting a tsunami of retirements from An Garda Siochana by the end of this year. 

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors is holding its annual conference today, where the recruitment and retention crisis will be top of the agenda. 

The organisation is predicting a 20% increase in resignations from the force in 2024. 

Deputy General Secretary Ronan Clogher said too much change is driving people away from the job. 

“Change fatigue has set in,” he said. 

“There is new policy after new policy - some two or three coming a week. 

“These have been introduced without any in person training for our members. 

“Our members tell us why they are retiring [and] it’s because they cannot keep up with the amount of change that has been happening.” 

Suspension policy

The ASGI will call for a review of the Garda suspension policy at its annual conference today. 

Deputy General Secretary Ronan Clogher said the current system is not fit for purpose and called for an independent oversight mechanism to speed up the suspension review process. 

“An independent person can come in and look at the suspension and see if it’s warranted or not,” he said. 

“To remove this [phenomenon] of people being suspended between three and five years. 

“Over the last couple of years, we have seen members of An Garda Síochána having to go down to the High Court to get their suspensions lifted and a majority of them were lifted in the High Court.” 

Around 170 delegates are expected to attend the conference in Westport. 

Main image: Gardaí on patrol in Dublin. Image: Artur Widak/NurPhoto