GARDA numbers are at their highest to date following the attestation of 207 new members of the force.
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan welcomed the newly qualified recruits at the Garda College in Dublin’s Templemore over the weekend, of which 136 are men and 71 are women.
"I am delighted to welcome these 207 newly attested Gardaí as they begin their careers serving communities across Ireland,” Minister O’Callaghan said.
“The deployment of these new members to stations across the country will strengthen frontline policing, increase Garda visibility and enhance community safety.”
He added: “With these new Gardaí joining the organisation, Garda strength has now reached its highest level in the history of An Garda Síochána.
“This is an important milestone and demonstrates this Government's commitment to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the personnel and resources needed to keep people safe.”
The new probationer Gardaí will now be assigned to Garda divisions across Ireland by the Garda Commissioner – with 84 set to be deployed to the Dublin Metropolitan Region, 76 to the Eastern Region, 27 to the North-Western Region, and 20 to the Southern Region.
“I want to congratulate each of our new Gardaí and thank them for choosing a career in public service,” Minister O’Callaghan added.
“They are joining an organisation with a proud tradition of service to the public, and I wish them every success in the years ahead."
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