NEW GARDA RECRUITMENT A HUGE BOOST FOR GARDAÍ AND FOR PUBLIC SAFETY - KENNY

Posted on December 12, 2013 12:34 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin Bay North Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Sean Kenny, has welcomed the beginning of the process to recruit new members of An Garda Síochána.

"Today is a hugely important day not only for An Garda Síochána but for the general public as well. The formal announcement on www.publicjobs.ie of the commencement of the recruitment process for new members of our police force is a huge boost for public safety. It is in the public interest that we recruit new members of the Gardaí and also essential to the Gardaí themselves that that new members are recruited to bring the numbers of the force back up. This means that more police officers will be available to tackle crime and protect our communities - something that serving Gardaí do so well and with huge dedication."

"The last recruits entered the Garda College in Templemore in May 2009, after which the moratorium was put in place. Personal skills and insights and a fresh dynamic to the force are needed and I have no doubt at all that over time, after the new recruits have begun active service both as cadets and as fully qualified officers, the abilities of the new recruits will provide a new direction for An Garda Síochána."

"I am also delighted that a new course has been developed which reflects the current policing environment and will better prepare Garda members for the reality of life on our streets. This course is a BA in Applied Policing and is approved by HETAC. It will allow new recruits to be attested after their first 32 weeks of training, at which time they will be assigned to Garda stations with full policing powers. Recruits will then undergo a further 72 weeks of on-the-job experiential learning."

"I would very much encourage all those interested in joining the An Garda Síochána to access the Public Appointments Service website and submit their application at www.publicjobs.ie ."