Garda force could fall below 12,000

The strength of the Garda force could drop below 12,000 before any new recruits are trained up, putting the force well below the minimum threshold former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said was vital to maintain existing policing services.

Figures obtained by the Irish Examiner show the force is likely to drop as low as 12,273 before any of the 100 recruits currently undergoing training become fully-fledged officers in 2016.

And this doesn’t take account of gardaí who are on sickness or maternity leave, which could see the ‘thin blue line’ dip below 12,000.