Mulherin welcomes new Garda recruitment drive to commence next summer

Fine Gael TD for Mayo, Michelle Mulherin, has today (Tuesday) welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Justice and Defence, Alan Shatter TD, that recruitment for new Gardaí will recommence next summer.

“I welcome the announcement by Minister Shatter that recruitment for new Gardaí will recommence next summer. With Garda numbers having fallen in recent years due to a combination of retirements and the moratorium on recruitment put in place by the previous Government in 2009, Gardaí have been doing more with less in order to ensure the safety of the public, particularly in Mayo.

“With recruitment due to recommence next summer, this will ensure that the Garda strength will be preserved at 13,000. Minister Shatter, on coming to office two years ago, undertook a major agenda of reform to ensure that Garda resources are used to best effect.

“Measures introduced to achieve this objective Minister Shatter has introduced a number of measures such as; a new roster system to better manage policing demand and the deployment of Gardaí; a consolidation of Garda stations so that Gardaí on desk duties have been released into frontline operational policing activities; the provision of €9 million to purchase new Garda vehicles; a tax free allowance paid to members of the Garda Reserve; and the enactment of the Criminal Justice Act 2011, which conferred crucial new powers on the Gardaí to assist in both current and future investigations into alleged white collar crime.

“These are all important measures to protect our citizens and I would like to thank Minister Shatter for introducing these measures and for recommencing Garda recruitment next Summer.”

ENDS