860 foreign nationals apply to join gardaí

MORE than 800 non-nationals have applied to join the gardaí - more than the entire force in Limerick.

In a phenomenal response to the first recruitment drive aimed at getting members of ethnic communities to join the force, around 8,600 people have applied.

The Public Appointments Service (PAS) said yesterday 10% of all applicants were foreign nationals - with the vast majority of them Chinese.