Garda Recruitment - Garda Trainees (Templemore)

So is that how many recruits have went through the college at present. I see 181 new recruits have graduated yesterday. Has anyonever any idea what the strenght of the force it now? They were wanting to bring it upour to 15,000 weren't they?

JC43 wrote: »

181?
What would be the typical reasons that 19 didn't go through ?
Just wondering ...
don't they take on 200 each term

I don't know how many they take on each time but I do remember reading an article about trainee Garda and it said usually a few will drop out but again, I don't know if that's true

vardy98 wrote: »

So is that how many recruits have went through the college at present. I see 181 new recruits have graduated yesterday. Has anyonever any idea what the strenght of the force it now? They were wanting to bring it upour to 15,000 weren't they?

The figure of 1179 (correct as of 11 September 2017) is how many new recruits completed Phase 1 training in the College and sent out to stations for phase 2.

As per the link, by 2021 the Government want 15,000 full time Gardai, 2,000 Reserve members, and 4,000 civilians. So a total workforce of 21,000.

Eire_1600 wrote: »

It is currently 14,300 according to Wikipedia (Don't think that's including yesterday's 181 graduates)

As per the following report, as of 31 July 2017, excluding students and the recent graduation, there is only a total of 12,881 full time active Gardai.

carzony wrote: »

They really increased the amount of Gardai very quickly. Saying that i've not noticed an increase on the streets?

Of course you haven't noticed an increase as in reality the number of new recruits is just slightly higher than the numbers of Gardai retiring. Sticking with published official figures, since 2014 until 11 Sept 2017, there were 1179 new Gardai attested and put onto the streets, some still in training and only allowed to shadow. During the same period, 993 Gardai retired. So IMO the organisation only increased by 186 Gardai.


IMO, As Gardai work a 5 shift roster over a 24 hour period, that equates to an increase of about 37 on the street nationally at any one time since 2014. The national increase of 37 Gardai across the 28 Garda Divisions means, an increase of man power per division of just over 1 Garda each per rostered shift.

If you wanted to go deeper into the figures you might even show that regular front line uniformed Garda numbers have decreased as the more senior Gardai are being moved from regular uniformed policing into specialised areas such as the newish Armed Support Unit in Dublin about (50-70 Garda), the new Divisional Protective Services Units, 52 Gardai since June 207, with a further 325 Gardai expected at the begining of 2018. Also there is the advertised increase of national specialised units that target organised crime etc.

Those new units have wiped out the reported "increase" in Garda numbers. Other than for financial reasons, I cant see any slow down of intakes into the Garda College. I would even say that they probably cant get enough Gardai through the college.

vardy98 wrote: »

Any idea when the next recruitment campaign will be????

In a short answer, no one really knows, however...

There is about 1,352 applicants currently going through vetting, medical, physicals, and waiting for a place in Templemore.

Further to the above, the May 2017 campaign had 5,399 applicants. From that campaign, those who pass the interview stage will then join the above number waiting for the other stages conducted by the Gardai mentioned above.


The September 2016 had 5,197 applicants of which only 963 progressed pass the interview stage, so a similar number will probably make it through for the May campaign.

As the Sept 2016 and May 2017 campaigns both had simular number of applicants, I'd expect that trend to continue, which would suggest a new campaign early in the new year.

Eire_1600 wrote: »

I don't know how many they take on each time but I do remember reading an article about trainee Garda and it said usually a few will drop out but again, I don't know if that's true

Correct as of 26 July 2017.

Intake of Garda Trainees and Attested Garda Trainees - 2014 - 2017
Year Month Intake Attestation
2014 September 100 -
December 100 -
2015 February 101 -
April - 99
July - 97
August 100 -
September - 100
October 75 -
November 75 -
2016 March - 99
April 150 -
June 151 -
July - 146
September 152 -
November 203 148
2017 February 197 150
April - 142
May 210 -
July - 198
Total 1614 1179

Usually a high number of recruits get sent to Dublin to gain experience. They then ship the more senior Gardai down the country. I believe the newish report on Student Probationer training recommended recruits are sent to bigger stations as there is more exposure to a higher number of incidents. Hence why recruits from Templemore are sent to District and Divisional headquarters stations and not sleepy hollows.

mbeire wrote: »

vardy98 wrote: »

Any idea when the next recruitment campaign will be????

In a short answer, no one really knows, however...

There is about 1,352 applicants currently going through vetting, medical, physicals, and waiting for a place in Templemore.

Further to the above, the May 2017 campaign had 5,399 applicants. From that campaign, those who pass the interview stage will then join the above number waiting for the other stages conducted by the Gardai mentioned above.


The September 2016 had 5,197 applicants of which only 963 progressed pass the interview stage, so a similar number will probably make it through for the May campaign.

As the Sept 2016 and May 2017 campaigns both had simular number of applicants, I'd expect that trend to continue, which would suggest a new campaign early in the new year.

Anyone idea how many candidates are waiting to go in and on stages now including June 17?

mbeire wrote: »

As of 1st Feb 2018; the Garda side are are processing 1,172 applicants though vetting/medical/physical/waiting-on-start-date/etc.

These are the numbers across all five campaigns since 2014,
4,199 Pass Interview Etc. by PAS
814 Failed vetting/medical/physical or withdrew from competition
2,213 Started/Finished training in Garda College
1,172 waiting on vetting/medical/physical/waiting-start-date/etc

It's strange that people failed vetting! Never heard of that before..

Just a few things for applicants to consider when applying for the job and need to go into it with eyes open:

i wont even get into it if you're joining and between ages of 35 to 50, you'll need to get checked into a hospital not the garda college.

Pension: many people join thinking the pension is great. we get fed this from our parents who are basing it on their era from their age. anyone joining post 2013 the pension is disgraceful. you will get about 215-230 euro a week when you reture at 60, which is in line with the old age pension which everyone in none state jobs get. when you join a station you will quickly be told of this and advised to pay into your own AVC to supplement your poor pension. this fact is kept very quiet as it no doubt will affect peoples thinking when applying for this job and correctly so. the lump sum payment at retirement has also been slashed since 2013. nobody realises this and isnt publicised about in the media nor will you find it marketed by them as a reason to join as it doesnt exist anymore. people are walking in blind thinking great pension setting me up for life

work life balance - won't be able to plan things for your days off due to required court appearances/ taking calls on work on days off also and also if you are sent to a call at the end of your last shift and arrest you have to work on into your day off to tie it up.

 

Rosters: as you may have read rosters are under discussion. despite the current one proposed being rejected by the GRA for non core units to be working 78 days extra a year working 7 days on, 2 days off, 7 days on 3 days off on 9 to 5 hrs, and lose thousands due to not working to non social hours. this new roster is still going live despite rejection from the people it affects most resulting in extra childcare fees due to working more days, fuel costs for travelling to work more often. management have power to do this without consent which is shocking in the day and age of work life balance and 4 day weeks being considered by private sector employers now.

 

Work: I appreciate many have wanted to do this since childhood and want it desperately for whatever is their reasons. if its for the day to day work then be prepared that it is all paper work orientated. everything is reports, duplication and beurocracy which snows everyone under. helping decent people is actually rare who for the majority will rarely come into contact with them in their lives but to get passports sorted etc. you will mainly be refereeing domestics with people who call you to get one over on an ex partner due to child custody or if its current partners they will later withdraw complaints but for it to start again further down the line, mental health persons which you are not trained to deal with, frauds which you will be beating your head off a wall trying to progress but cant due to banks delaying you and outside of this any other crimes tend to be between one low life against another one or wrestling with drunk lads on cold rainy nights out facing being attacked.

morale is rock bottom in the job, people are resigning in their droves as they see the realities and the work load expected of them, the day of staying in the job until retirement is in the past now which used to be the case for sure. i know many will view this as overly negative summary of the job so what i would advise is before following through with it talk to others you know in the job and hear what they have to say first. i dont know anyone in it that would recommend it anyways.