The new Garda Reserves drive will not recruit as many part-time Gardaí as hoped, according to a former sergeant. 

The Government has committed to recruiting a further 1,000 reserve Gardaí, voluntary members of An Garda Síochána, by 2026. 

To incentivise recruitment, the stipend for Garda Reserves has increased to €500 for 50 hours of work, and €1,000 for 100 hours, with €3,000 available for those who work 200 hours and above. 

While the campaign insists it’s a ‘Job Worth Doing’, former Garda Sergeant Christy said the scheme will not incentivise more volunteers. 

“€3,000 is a great incentive to people who want to join,” he told Lunchtime Live. “But at the same time, I don't think it's going to get the numbers that they think they're going to get. 

“I think there's that lack of consensus still within the force, about employing part-time members in the Garda Síochána. 

“We came in very late when it came to reserve policing, reserve policing should have been [there] when we set up the guards originally at the start.” 

Garda Reserves powers

Christy said when he was a Garda Sergeant, Garda Reserves did not yet have equal powers to Gardaí, such as arresting people. 

“There was a kind of trepidation or there wasn't the incentive to give them the backing that full-time members were getting,” he said. 

“But I worked with reserves, and I found them very professional, great to work with. 

“But unfortunately, the motivation to keep them wasn’t there – there wasn’t that backing.” 

He noted that many people use the Garda Reserves as a “stepping stone” to become full-time Gardaí in future. 

An Garda Síochána said today that roughly 80 Reserves have gone on to train as full-time Gardaí since 2017. 

Many others, according to Christy, simply wanted to “help out” in their community alongside a full-time job. 

Incentives to recruit

This desire to help, however, might not be enough to recruit 1,000 part-time Gardaí by 2026. 

“Until you have the backing from within the force itself for part-time reserves, it’s never really going to take off,” he said. 

“Unless you have the incentives there to retain those people. 

“I think that the problem is within the force itself, gaining that trust for our members.” 

Applications for Garda Reserves are open to those aged between 18 and 60, with those over 35 now able to become full-time Gardaí.