Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal and member of the Oireachtas Justice, Defence and Equality Committee, Alan Farrell, has welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Justice and Equality that 500 new Gardaí are to be recruited next year.
“I am delighted that 500 new Gardaí will be recruited next year, in addition to the 400 recruits who have already entered the Garda Training College this year, and the 150 who will enter by year’s end. Minister Fitzgerald made this announcement following the passing out ceremony for 94 recruits who will now be stationed in communities across the country.
“Fine Gael in Government reopened the Garda Training College in Templemore last September for the first time since 2009, following its closure under the previous government. Fine Gael has committed to ensuring that the Garda Training College will not shut its doors again while we remain in office.
“The on-going recruitment which began last year, and will continue next year, is of the utmost importance in terms of deterring crime in our local communities. In addition to this, we must continue to provide the hard-working members of An Garda Síochána with the resources necessary to support them in carrying out their daily duties. In this regard, 12 new Garda vehicles are being provided to the Dublin Metropolitan North Region which serves Dublin Fingal. Furthermore, €27.5 million was invested by the current Government in new Garda vehicles between 2012 and 2014, which was an increase on the €4.8 million allocated by the previous Government in Budgets 2009-2011.
“I will continue to work closely with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD, to ensure the system of on-going recruitment for An Garda Síochána will continue and to ensure local communities in the North County, and across the country, are made safer, both in terms of Garda resources, and new legislation to tackle repeat burglars.”