The continuing fall in Garda numbers is now ‘a real crisis that needs addressing immediately’,  the Garda Representative Association has warned.

Figures published this morning show that Garda numbers are continuing to fall despite nearly two years of active recruitment campaigning.

The Irish Times reports that there were 14,064 members in the force at the end of July, 35 less than at the end of June – despite the Government’s attempts to bring the force up to 15,000 members.

It notes that while the force aims to recruit 200 members each year, dozens of successful candidates from each intake have not been taking up their places in the last two years.

On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, Garda Representative Association (GRA) President Mark O’Meara said Gardaí are leaving the force at an alarming rate.

“This year, for example, the most recent figures show we've had 115 resignations and 184 retirements," he said.

“That is up from last year and that is just for our own ranks.

“Speaking for ourselves, it is a real problem and we believe it to be a real crisis that needs addressing immediately.”

Commissioner Drew Harris inspecting 319 new Gardaí at an Attestation Ceremony at the Garda Training College, Templemore. Image: Mark Condren/RollingNews

Mr O’Meara said the recruitment and retention crisis within An Garda Síochána could soon get much worse.

“If we think there’s a problem now, we need to wait until April of next year,” he said.

“There was an increased recruitment drive back in the mid-90s, and those members will now have completed a full 30 years of service and will be eligible to retire in April.

“It’s going to increase even further the numbers retiring and resigning.”

Internal investigations

Mr O’Meara also said that GSOC investigations and internal investigations are turning people off a career as a Garda.

“It’s a huge factor. We had reduced numbers, an increased workload and then what we would see as excessive oversight,” he said.

“It’s not that we don’t welcome oversight; it’s just that it’s much more stringent than you would have in any other private sector, with suspensions, dismissals, prosecutions, fines and so on.

“The strict application of suspensions, where members are suspended for years and years and years, is not conducive to making our job appear attractive to members of the public coming in and that is a major problem for us.”

Dublin Allowance

Mr O’Meara said a Dublin Allowance, similar to the London weighting allowance in the UK capital, could make the career more attractive.

“We have raised it but it hasn’t been listened to,” he said.

“It would be similar to the London weighting allowance and teachers have also been calling for it.

“It may go some way to assist members coming into Dublin where the cost of living is so great, but there seems to be no progress on it.

“It hasn’t been well received when we’ve raised it, but it is something that we raise and I think should be looked at.”

By the end of 2023, there were 13,998 Gardaí in active service.

Main image: Garda graduates during the Passing Out ceremony at Garda College, Templemore, Co. Tipperary. Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo