Garda numbers drop to lowest in a decade

The number of gardaí based in stations decreased by over 300 last year as the size of the force fell to its lowest level in a decade. Department of Justice figures obtained by the Irish Examiner show the number of gardaí working in the 563 Garda stations at the end of 2014 stood at 10,976 — down 307 compared to a year earlier, representing an annual decrease of 2.7%. It is the first time the figure has dipped below 11,000 since 2006.

The total size of the force when gardaí attached to national crime units and Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park are included was 12,799. That is below the 13,000 threshold seen by senior Garda management as a basic minimum requirement. A further 36 gardaí left the force in the first two months of 2015.

However, the decrease in the size of the force should be arrested in the short-term as the first 100 of 300 trainee gardaí graduated last week — the first recruitment of new officers since 2009. The justice minister announced recently the Government has also sanctioned an extra 250 student garda places over the coming 12 months.