No new gardaí for nine years, conference hears

IT could be 2020 before there are new garda recruits, which will make it “impossible” for gardaí to carry out their functions, according to middle-ranking officers.

The annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) heard there were almost 1,300 gardaí eligible to retire out of a current strength of 14,200.

This could allow the Government to meet its target to reduce the force to 13,500 by the end of this year and to 13,000 by 2013.