New training facilities for 2,000 garda recruits

TRAINING facilities at the Garda College in Templemore are to be transformed to prepare for an influx of new recruits, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said yesterday.

A new four-storey administration building, containing a library, a self-defence training area, shops and offices will be added to the Co Tipperary college.

“The construction of this block is an essential part of the Government’s plan to accelerate recruitment over 2005, 2006 and 2007,” said Mr McDowell.

The Garda College in Templemore has been the main centre for garda training since 1964. In-service courses for existing gardaí are to be out-sourced to new locations to create more capacity for the 2,000 new recruits.

The kitchen and dining facilities will be refitted, while existing buildings will be redesigned to provide additional lecture space.

Mr McDowell said the work should be completed within 15 months.

The Government had been criticised for failing to carry out its 2002 general election promise to increase the size of the garda force by 2,000.

Mr McDowell announced the increase last October, along with a change in the entry requirement to allow people aged up to 35 to join.

At a sod-turning ceremony to start work on the new building in Templemore, he said the 10,500 responses to the recruitment drive would allow record numbers of high quality recruits to be taken on.

“The additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing,” he said.

The cost of recruiting the extra gardaí is expected to rise from €11 million this year to €124m in 2009.