Number of gardaí down 2.4% nationally — Cork North sees biggest reduction

Official figures published by An Garda Síochána show 25 out of the country’s 28 Garda divisions experienced a reduction in staffing levels. File picture

The number of gardaí based in stations around the country fell by 2.4% nationally during 2021, with almost 300 fewer gardaí on frontline duties than at the start of the year.

Official figures published by An Garda Síochána show 25 out of the country’s 28 Garda divisions experienced a reduction in staffing levels, with drops in manpower of more than 5% recorded in three divisions — Cork North, Sligo/Leitrim and Roscommon/Longford.

The figures reveal the overall number of gardaí based in the network of more than 560 stations at the end 2021 was 12,310 — a net reduction of 299 officers over the 12-month period.

The available strength of the force in December 2021, including gardaí attached to Garda HQ and specialist units as well as more than 200 officers on career breaks, maternity leave, secondment and work-sharing arrangements, was 14,235— a net decrease of 256 gardaí.

The Government had set a target for the total number of gardaí to reach 15,000 by the end of 2021 as part of an overall workforce of 21,000.

However, the total workforce in An Garda Síochána last year, including civilian staff and Garda Reserve members, only reached 17,616 as recruitment was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The figures come as Justice Minister Helen McEntee announced plans on Thursday to recruit up to 800 additional gardaí and 400 civilian staff this year.

A Garda spokesperson said 122 new gardaí had also attested last month with another 26 recruits due to attest shortly, while 235 others are currently training in the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary.

The biggest reduction among frontline gardaí last year was in Cork North — which covers towns including Mallow, Fermoy, Cobh, Midleton and Youghal — where staffing levels were down 6%.

The division had 330 serving gardaí at the end of 2021 — 21 fewer than at the start of the year.

Stations in Sligo-Leitrim suffered a net reduction of 5.8% in Garda personnel last year due to a net loss of 18 serving gardaí, which means the division now has fewer gardaí than in 2015 when the number of frontline gardaí was at its lowest level in the past decade, with almost 1,400 fewer officers nationally than current levels.

Two other Garda divisions — Wicklow and Dublin East — also have fewer serving gardaí than in 2015, while three divisions — Kildare, Louth and Dublin North — each gained more than 100 additional gardaí over the same period.

In absolute terms, one of the largest Garda divisions — Dublin West — recorded the highest annual decrease in numbers last year, with 29 fewer gardaí than at the end of 2020.

In contrast, Cork City was only one of two Garda divisions where the number of gardaí increased during 2021, together with Kildare, while staffing levels remained unchanged in Kerry.