FORCE BLUES

‘Very little’ done to make being gardai an attractive career as force struggles to recruit new members

One rep said: “If the current trend for this year continues, we’re looking at a 20 per cent increase in resignations.”

• News and Crime Correspondent

• Published: 20:20, 25 Mar 2024
• Updated: 20:49, 25 Mar 2024

THE Government has done “very little” to make the gardai an attractive career as the force struggles to recruit while young people are leaving it in their droves, it’s claimed.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors says the soaring number of assaults on gardai is a contributing factor – up by 20 per cent in 2023 compared with the year beforehand.

And they also want Justice Minister Helen McEntee to introduce mandatory sentencing for thugs behind these attacks.

AGSI Deputy General Secretary Ronan Clogher explained there are just under 14,000 operational officers at the moment, which is roughly the same amount there was in 2007 yet our population has risen by 650,000 since.

AGSI believe that 18,000 cops is the optimal number but the poor conditions, such as pay and pension along with changes in society which is seeing them attacked more often and constantly having phones shoved in their faces, are turning people away from the job. 

He also explained that there is a rising amount of retirements, yet the Government has ignored the issues.

“If the current trend for this year continues, we’re looking at a 20 per cent increase in resignations.

“We’re going to have a raft of retirements. The question that has to be asked and that the Government has to ask themselves is, why are these people leaving early and why can’t we get young people in?

“They have done very little to make the job an attractive career. Things like pay and pensions.