Commissioner expects garda numbers to be close to 15,000 by the end of the year

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly hails 'fantastic' rewards of being a garda in recruitment drive

(Left to right) Garda Alan Cummins and bouncer from the dog unit, Lisa Halligan on Rian and Ciara Larkin on Donnacha from the horse-mounted unit in Walter Scott House for the launch of the new Garda Trainee recruitment campaign. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie

Garda numbers are now over 14,600 and should be hitting the 15,000 mark by the end of the year, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has said.

The long-standing target of successive governments was derailed during the covid pandemic and the postponement of recruitment for several years.