800 new gardaí and 400 civilian staff to be recruited next year

The long-running target of successive governments has been to bring garda numbers to 15,000 by the end of 2021. File Picture

A fund of €28 million is being provided to allow for the recruitment of 800 new gardaí and 400 civilian staff under Budget 2022.

The expanded trainee target for next year marks a move by the Government to take back ground lost over the last two years, caused by the Covid pandemic, in the recruitment of gardaí.