800 new Gardaí to be recruited in 2022.

The announcement this week by Justice Minister, Helen McEntee T.D. that a new Garda recruitment campaign has been launched is to be welcomed.

The new recruitment campaign will kick off in January and is the first since early 2019. In addition to the 800 officers to be recruited and trained in 2022, 400 new civilian positions within An Garda Siochana will be available in the new year also.

Delivering on commitments to increase diversity and improve gender equality are obviously very important, but the over-riding objective must be to strengthen An Garda Siochana by ensuring that we have more than sufficient numbers of Garda officers, Sergeants and Inspectors policing our communities. Fine Gael Councillors on Dublin City Council earlier this year called for the strength of the Garda force to be increased 16,500 by the end of the current Government’s term of office. This recruitment campaign will go a considerable way in achieving this objective.

As a Councilor in the North Inner City, I will be working with the local Chief Superintendent to ensure our area gets more than its fair share of new recruits. With Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station re-open and an ever growing population, we need more Community Policing officers to ensure that anti-social and criminal behaviour is tackled and those responsible are brought to justice. An increased Garda team across the #NorthInnerCity will provide reassurance and encouragement to those in our communities affected by crime.

I will post further details of the new Garda Trainee Recruitment campaign when it opens early in 2022. If you have any specific questions about the new recruitment campaign, please get in touch with me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.