Garda entry! Age limit.

fortuneteller

I was told recently that someone was bringing a case to have the entry age for joining the gardai inline with the rest of the EU.i.e. upward from 35 to 50! Anyone heard anything about this? I was ruled out by my eyesight in 1984,and by the time they accepted the lazer surgery i was too old!.I suspect im not the only one that found themselves in this position!

tabatha

i was told that there were two people doing this. my husband hopes so anyway!

fortuneteller wrote: »

I was told recently that someone was bringing a case to have the entry age for joining the gardai inline with the rest of the EU.i.e. upward from 35 to 50! Anyone heard anything about this? I was ruled out by my eyesight in 1984,and by the time they accepted the lazer surgery i was too old!.I suspect im not the only one that found themselves in this position!

jackhammer

TBH, I can't see this happening. A 50 yr old would still have to do 2 years training/probation, and then would have to retire at 60.

fortuneteller

Thanks,Id be interested to hear how they get on.Mind you with the way things are going in the economy at present there are people looking for secure jobs like the GS so it would be very difficult to get in even if the age limit was increased.

tabatha

jackhammer wrote: »

TBH, I can't see this happening. A 50 yr old would still have to do 2 years training/probation, and then would have to retire at 60.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0708/1215380381071.html

some age limits from around the world http://www.finegael.ie/news/index.cfm/type/details/nkey/22622

the age limit for across the border is 52.

jake59

tabatha wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0708/1215380381071.html

some age limits from around the world http://www.finegael.ie/news/index.cfm/type/details/nkey/22622

the age limit for across the border is 52.

although not the same job, the dfb have accepted recruits as old a 47 yo in the last few years. i don't see why the gardai would be any different especially as the fire brigade would be a more phyically demanding job

tabatha

jake59 wrote: »

although not the same job, the dfb have accepted recruits as old a 47 yo in the last few years. i don't see why the gardai would be any different especially as the fire brigade would be a more phyically demanding job

the dfb is physically and mentally more challenging and demaning so on that basis the age limit is silly for gs.

controller

tabatha wrote: »

the dfb is physically and mentally more challenging and demaning so on that basis the age limit is silly for gs.

Best of luck with it guys. I wish ye the best. Be warned and prepared if successful to put up with a fair bit of **** down there if your over 27yrs of age at all you get a fair bit of slagging, it's only banter but gets repeditive.

Random

I guess the older you are when you join the younger the guys bossing you around will be. I guess it would be a bit crap to be a probie at 42 taking orders from a 25 year old, but such is the world. I guess it shows what kind of person you are.

DUBLINHITMAN

Random wrote: »

I guess the older you are when you join the younger the guys bossing you around will be. I guess it would be a bit crap to be a probie at 42 taking orders from a 25 year old, but such is the world. I guess it shows what kind of person you are.

im 29 and only look about 18 ,
i was a supervisor for a company for 8 years and im jacking it to join up for the AGS ive no problems taking orders as long as the approach is ok, from anyone any age,
just waiting on info about this year,s competition then im going to get into the AGS by hook or crook lol
seriously people im putting my heart and sole into becoming AG.

fortuneteller

fair play good luck with it,let us know how you get on.I did the entry exam for the psni last may but fell at the 1st fence.ill try again next time,but its very difficult with so many stages to pass.i think catholics have another 2 years only before it reverts back to a free for all.and not 50/50.Reading the threads i think its un usual for someone thats not a transfer from the uk to get in on the 1st attempt.

supra888

I'm in the same boat ... am 36 this year .The height restriction got me when i finished secondary school,i was 5'7" when the minimum height was 5'11" ( am now 6'0" ) and i failed Irish in the leaving cert ( bloody peig sayers and her boring life!!! :-) ) and have no second language.Am going to enrol in night classes to pass leaving cert irish even though i've missed my chance...
If the age limit was to be raised even to 40 ,i would leave my very well paid job and go all out to join AGS . Too little too late -There's nothing worse than regret.

Dr_MaSoN

supra888 wrote: »

I'm in the same boat ... am 36 this year .The height restriction got me when i finished secondary school,i was 5'7" when the minimum height was 5'11" ( am now 6'0" ) and i failed Irish in the leaving cert ( bloody peig sayers and her boring life!!! :-) ) and have no second language.Am going to enrol in night classes to pass leaving cert irish even though i've missed my chance...
If the age limit was to be raised even to 40 ,i would leave my very well paid job and go all out to join AGS . Too little too late -There's nothing worse than regret.

Why not try the Reserve?

TheNog

Joining the Reserves would be an excellent idea along with doing the night classes. If the age limit was increased you would be in a great position to join fulltime.

lehanemore

what are the realistic chances of the entry age being increased to 40 or more?

given it's a max of 52 for PSNI..

i-digress

Fair play, I think the joining age should be highered. The retirement age is currently 60, but I could see that being highered due to recession cuts...

Dr_MaSoN

lehanemore wrote: »

what are the realistic chances of the entry age being increased to 40 or more?

given it's a max of 52 for PSNI..

id say very very slim.

Paolo5

Where did this suggestion of entry age going up arise?

I would think retirement might go up down the road but not for a good while.

supra888

TheNog wrote: »

Joining the Reserves would be an excellent idea along with doing the night classes. If the age limit was increased you would be in a great position to join fulltime.

Thanks for the advice NOG, i think i'll give it a go...

supra888

Dr_MaSoN wrote: »

Why not try the Reserve?

thanks doc , am seriously considering it...

norrie_1001

i-digress wrote: »

Fair play, I think the joining age should be highered. The retirement age is currently 60, but I could see that being highered due to recession cuts...

I also believe the joining age should be highered. What strikes me is when young students barely 18 come into a station on phase 2, how nieve they are. These students have just come from leaving cert maybe and have no life experience at all. They have not travelled, they have not worked full time etc. I was 28 when I joined and thought the life experience I built up did me in great stead.

fortuneteller

;)Yes i agree with you. The entry age should be 25.I had a guard about 21 shout at me in bray last week for stopping outside a shop to pick up an elderly lady in my taxi.Im legally licensed to do this,by the way.I felt like giving him a clip around the ear

li@mo

From todays Irish Independent.

Link Here


The Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner have launched a High Court bid to halt an Equality Tribunal hearing into complaints about the age limit to enter the gardai.

They claim the tribunal does not have the power to determine the matter.

At the moment, Garda regulations require a person to be between 18 and 35 to join the force.

Three men, Ronald Boyle, Gerard Cotter and Brian Fitzpatrick, who are aged over 35, applied to join the force between 2004 and 2007 and were refused.

They complained to the Equality Authority that they were being discriminated against on grounds of age and the matter was referred by the authority to an independent tribunal to inquire into their claims.

Refused

However, the minister and the commissioner asked the tribunal to first examine whether it had the jurisdiction to deal with the issue.

The tribunal refused to do so and the minister and commissioner challenged this decision by bringing High Court judicial review proceedings, which opened yesterday before Mr Justice Peter Charleton.

The minister and commissioner say the tribunal failed to investigate the issue as to whether it had the authority to deal with this, as a preliminary matter. They also say that the rules on Garda entry age are consistent with both the Equality Act and an EU directive.

The director of the tribunal and the three complainants argue the tribunal is entitled to deal with the issue under employment equality legislation and an EU directive made in 2000 dealing with equal treatment under a number of headings, including age.

Opening the case yesterday, counsel for the minister and commissioner, said there is no authority for an inferior body, in the legal sense of the words, to deal with the validity of law.

The hearing continues.

0x0121

supra888 wrote: »

I'm in the same boat ... am 36 this year .The height restriction got me when i finished secondary school,i was 5'7" when the minimum height was 5'11" ( am now 6'0" ) and i failed Irish in the leaving cert ( bloody peig sayers and her boring life!!! :-) ) and have no second language.Am going to enrol in night classes to pass leaving cert irish even though i've missed my chance...
If the age limit was to be raised even to 40 ,i would leave my very well paid job and go all out to join AGS . Too little too late -There's nothing worse than regret.

There is nothing worse than regret my friend.I came back home from london last july 08 hoping to have a go at joining the gaurds.My neighbours who are gaurds were encouraging me to join saying "we need lads like you!" "you would make a great gaurd".I was 33 at the time, now im 34,next april im 35.This ****ing recession has destroyed my plans.My heart sinks everytime i see a gaurd, im thinking to myself i would give anything to be in your position.Regret is a painfull thing cos i know that i will be over the age when they next recruit.Total dissappointment

0x0121

Why is PSNI age limit higher??? i dont understand!

Shield

Different legislation applies!

phoenix999

fortuneteller wrote: »

I was told recently that someone was bringing a case to have the entry age for joining the gardai inline with the rest of the EU.i.e. upward from 35 to 50! Anyone heard anything about this? I was ruled out by my eyesight in 1984,and by the time they accepted the lazer surgery i was too old!.I suspect im not the only one that found themselves in this position!

Regarding the current age limit for joining i.e. 35.

Is that aged 35 at time of application, or when you first sit the aptitude tests or when you are eventually called up (which could be a year or two down the line)? Reason I ask is that I will be hitting 36 in December! Passed twice before but never bothered proceeding to stage two (other jobs usually came up) So it's now or never.

itsallgood

phoenix999 wrote: »

Regarding the current age limit for joining i.e. 35.

Is that aged 35 at time of application, or when you first sit the aptitude tests or when you are eventually called up (which could be a year or two down the line)? Reason I ask is that I will be hitting 36 in December! Passed twice before but never bothered proceeding to stage two (other jobs usually came up) So it's now or never.

Pretty sure its from the time of application, once application is processed and your within age limit your good to go