4,000 apply to sign up to garda reserve

THE numbers applying to join the garda reserve were heading towards 4,000 last night, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said.

The department has been receiving between 125-150 applications a day since it started the recruitment process online and through a dedicated phone line on August 14.

“In the first two days, we received nearly 300 applications,” the spokesman said last night. “The number was at 3,800 this afternoon, so it is probably close to 4,000 by now. The response indicates a strong willingness among the public to be a part of the reserve.”