FACT CHECK: Last week, Fine Gael published a policy document outlining plans to support both “rural and urban” areas, entitled “Delivering For Communities”.
The document – which is a de facto local election manifesto with policies relating to climate action, energy, transport, wastewater management, crime and more – features the pledge to recruit more Gardaí in order to deliver “stronger, safer communities.”
“We’re increasing recruitment with more than 14,000 Gardaí – up 2,000 since 2019,” the document reads.
However, this figure does not appear to stand up to scrutiny.
According to official data on the Garda website, on December 31st 2019, there were a total of 14,032 Gardaí.
Meanwhile, on March 31st 2024, there were a total of 14,058.
This represents a total net rise of 26 – not 2,000.
Gript asked the Fine Gael press office how they could stand the 2,000 figure up, but no reply was received.
A major recruitment drive is currently ongoing in An Garda Síochana, with approximately 6,381 individuals applying to join the force earlier this year. Around 2,300 of these were aged between 35 and 49, after the government raised the entry age limit to become a Garda trainee from 35 to 50.
Last year a similar drive garnered around 5,000 applications.
However, total Garda numbers continue to fall as officers choose to leave the force faster than replacements can be recruited.
Last year 388 trainees graduated from the Garda College, but in the same year 488 left the force – 169 resignations, and 319 retirements. This resulted in a net loss of officers, despite hundreds of new recruits coming on board.