Garda strength could slip beneath 13,000, says commissioner

Garda numbers are set to drop below the minimum floor of 13,000 officers set by the Garda Commissioner unless recruitment begins again, it emerged yesterday.

Martin Callinan said the strength of the force stood at 13,472 but that about 1,200 officers were eligible to retire, although many may not.

He told the Oireachtas justice committee that even if the public service recruitment embargo was lifted, there was a two-year lead-in training period before any new gardaí would come on stream.

He also said there would be “no withdrawal of police services” as a result of future Garda station closures. He said gardaí “haven’t pulled down the shutters and walked away” from rural areas affected.

In a lively exchange with Kerry South TD Michael Healy Rae, Mr Callinan strongly rejected accusations that his argument for station closures did not make sense.

Mr Callinan said he would recommend a further raft of closures to Justice Minister Alan Shatter “very soon”. There have been reports in the media, including the Irish Examiner, that as many as 80 stations could close.

Addressing the committee, accompanied by his senior command staff, the commissioner said there were currently 13,472 gardaí. He said they would not meet the Government target of cutting the force to 13,000 by the end of the year.

“I would like to see us not go below 13,000,” he told the committee. He said that currently about 1,200 gardaí could leave the force given they had either 30 years’ service and were over 50 or were approaching the compulsory retirement age of 60. He added it was unlikely many would.

He said he would “love” to see the recruitment ban changing and said that even if it did, it would take a minimum of two years before graduates came into service.

The commissioner said the issue of resources “weighs heavily” on the force: “We would all dearly love to have more people, but we must be realistic and deal with the hand we have.”

He faced lengthy questions from rural TDs and senators about station closures. He said the reason for closures was not about cost, but about providing a more effective police service.

He said this would not be provided “with bricks and mortar of buildings”. Regarding areas affected by station closures, he said: “There will be no withdrawal of services. Not on my watch.”

He told Fianna Fail justice spokesman Niall Collins: “If I was there I would be banging on your door [about closures], but this is the reality of life.”

He said the opening hours of stations closed would be replicated by Garda clinics in local community halls or post offices.

Mr Healy Rae told the commissioner there was “no sense or saving money” in such a system and accused Mr Callinan of not making sense. He said the removal of gardaí was a “kick in the teeth” to rural communities.