Several Garda applicants have criticised recruitment policies within the force, after it emerged that outreach events have been held in multiple IPAS centres across the country.
The information follows a recent Gript report on Garda recruitment drives in Rathmines, Mosney, Castlebar and other direct provision centres under the Department of Integration. These events, part of a minority outreach programme, included promotional posters and Q&A sessions with Garda representatives.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has previously said that the organisation is striving to be “fully representative of the people we serve,” and encouraged individuals “from all backgrounds and communities” to apply.
However, multiple applicants have since come forward expressing frustration with their own experiences of the recruitment process.
Defence Forces veteran denied over Leaving Cert
“I’m 30 years in the Defence Forces,” one man told Gript.
“I applied for the Gardaí last year as they upped the age to join. So I brought the test of career.ie for my stage one. And it was a hard maths test. But I studied hard and passed it. Then I did my interview and passed that too.”
He said his application was later blocked due to a Leaving Certificate that was deemed not suitable despite being completed decades ago.
“A few weeks later I got an email off Public Jobs saying my application won’t be going through as my Leaving Cert is not suitable for the Gardaí,” he said.
“I did my Leaving Cert in 1997. I didn’t study for it as I already got the army. Back then it was a good job with a pension so I didn’t care about it. But a few months back I had a meeting with a superintendent and I said it to him about my Leaving Cert. He said it doesn’t matter because you got this far in your Garda recruitment.
“I have applied for an appeal on Article 13 in November 2024 and I’ve heard nothing back. I have wrote to the Garda Commissioner and nothing. I have wrote to the Minister for Justice and he just passed it on to someone else. I have wrote to Garda HR and nothing back.”
He then contrasted his situation with others.
“But I’ve seen video of women in the Garda training. And they came to this country as an asylum seeker in the country 3 years getting into the Gardaí. It pissed me off. Where’s their proof of their Leaving Cert? If they’re fleeing their country I doubt they even have a Leaving Cert, [yet they became a] Garda so quick.”
“I’ve served my country here and abroad, and they won’t even write back to me. I’ve been overseas 5 times. I’ve done so much in my 30 years. My experience should be enough for the Garda. I’m not the same person I was back in 1997.”
€4,500 spent on laser eye surgery before rejection
Another applicant said he spent thousands on medical procedures before being rejected.
“Determined to become a Garda, I decided to bite the bullet and took out a loan of €4,500 for laser eye surgery, which I intended to pay off after I became a member of the force,” he said.
“Garda Human Resources confirmed that I passed the medical, but a few months later, I was told I didn’t make the cut – with no exact reason given as to why.”
He added: “If I could go back in time, I would stay the hell away from it.”
He described feeling like a number in the system.
“The Guards may come on social media acting like they want Guards and it’s an easy-to-get-through process, but as soon as you begin that recruitment process, you are just treated as a number and nothing else,” he said.
“The part that hurts most is that I have spent over four and a half thousand euros on this.”
He said he had given advance notice of the surgery to senior Gardaí.
“I informed the Sergeant, Superintendent and Chief Superintendent of my decision to purchase the laser eye surgery weeks prior in all separate meetings and as the surgery was the final part of the process, I would have appreciated if at least one of them would have told me if there was any issues instead of letting me throw away thousands on surgery I didn’t even need.
“That just shows how little respect they have for applicants. My optician told me I only need surgery if I’m going for the Guards because my eyesight was borderline.”
He said that all appeals of the rejection had failed.
“I can’t fathom why I was rejected from the force, and subsequent appeals of that decision also failed.
“I know if I were to get into the job, I would do a good job. I have absolutely no respect whatsoever for Garda management and Human Resources over what has happened.
“I wouldn’t recommend anybody else to apply after my own experience, which saw my life end up on hold for two years.”
He further said that people he knows personally had reconsidered a career in the Gardaí after witnessing his experience.
“My brother has told me that he wouldn’t mind joining, but after seeing first-hand what I was put through he will not be following that career path anymore,” he said.
“My younger cousin has also had a passion about joining the Guards, but again after seeing and hearing of what I was put through, she has changed her mind.
“I wouldn’t recommend going through the Garda Recruitment process to anyone. I feel like I have lost two and a half years of my life. I understand the recruitment process needs to take time, but seriously, over two years?
“I know two Garda applicants who pulled out of the process due to the time it was taking…One lad is after joining the prison service and the other is after joining the army.”
Rejected over tattoo
A third man criticised the Garda tattoo policy after his daughter was rejected over what he said was a small inoffensive tattoo on her back and neck.
“My daughter applied to join the Gardaí last year,” he said.
“She went through the process and then attended Templemore for a physical test and assessment. During the assessment the Gardaí noticed she had a tattoo on her spine and up her neck just above the collar line. It is a small inoffensive tattoo which is barely visible and certainly wouldn’t be seen wearing a Garda uniform, as most have collars turned up or a high collar.
“She was told her application couldn’t proceed unless it was removed. Now to hear that Gardaí are visiting IPAS centres to try and recruit new members, who we are not entirely sure who they are or where they come from and would they be entitled to remain in the State, is a disgrace.”
He added: “My daughter has a third level degree, full driving licence and is in full-time employment in Dublin Airport, and yet she wasn’t suitable due to an inoffensive tattoo. It is frustrating.”
He questioned how the policy compares to other jurisdictions.
“I’ve checked the PSNI, Metropolitan Police, and West Midlands and they all tolerate tattoos and really are only against something that is very offensive or very visible across your neck or forehead. The Gardaí are well behind other forces now.
“When Jim O’Callaghan was opposition spokesman, I emailed him and he was very surprised at the attitude of the Gardaí and wanted to see this change. I probably have this email still as he was the only one to reply to me.”
“When you constantly hear that the organisation is struggling to get new recruits and turn down someone for an inoffensive tattoo that’s not visible due to a high collar or long hair, it seems ridiculous. The Gardaí portray themselves as progressive and inclusive but they aren’t really and my daughter’s tattoos prove it.”
Recruitment and retention crisis
All of this comes as the Gardaí grapple with an ongoing recruitment and retention crisis, struggling to maintain the strength of the force for years.