14/05/2009

Garda Reserve Numbers Below Target

A Garda Reserve graduation ceremony is taking place today, as it is revealed numbers of the reserve force are hugely below target.

A total of 102 members of the Garda Reserve force will graduate at the Garda Training College in Templemore this afternoon, bringing the total number of reservists recruited to 520.

However, this figure is 3,480 less than the total number proposed initially for recruitment by the Government and the Garda Commissioner in July 2005.

Currently the force consists of 143 women 377 men. Of this figure, just 322 reservists are operational and working alongside gardaí, while 198 are still in training.

The force was created in the Garda Síochána Act 2005, and was expected to recruit 4,000 extra officers to assist the force in performing its functions.

The reserves force was created with the intention of supplementing the work of the Garda with local knowledge, and the first 900 recruits to the Reserve were expected to be in place by September 2006.

Minister for justice Dermot Ahern and Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy will be in attendance at today's ceremony.

(DW)


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