200 new members ‘only a band aid’ for Garda

Two hundred promised Garda recruits will start training as early as December in a bid to reverse a continuing reduction in Garda numbers.

The Garda Representative Association welcomed the recruitment but said it was only a “band aid” and predicted that Garda numbers could fall to as low as 12,000 by the time the recruits come on line.

And it will still be 1,000 below the 13,000 minimum set by previous Garda commissioner Martin Callinan. The force’s strength currently stands at around 12,900.