206 new Gardaí welcomed

Jim O'Callaghan

The new probationer Gardaí, 142 of whom are men and 64 of whom are women, will be assigned to Garda divisions across the country by the Garda Commissioner.

Speaking at the attestation ceremony, Mr O’Callaghan said: “I am extremely pleased that 206 Gardaí graduate today in Templemore and they will now be assigned to stations across the country. This is one of the largest groups to attest in recent years and builds on the steady stream of graduates from the Garda College.

“Our priority is to grow the Garda workforce to protect and support our communities. These new Gardaí attesting today will have a real and tangible effect on our streets and in our communities. With recruitment moving at a strong pace, I look forward to An Garda Síochána expanding further throughout this year.”

94 probationer Gardaí will be deployed across the Dublin Metropolitan Region, with 25 assigned to the Southern Region, 56 to the Eastern Region and 31 to the North-Western Region.

He added: “I want to congratulate each of our new recruits and thank them for making the decision to join An Garda Síochána. They are making a personal commitment to public service and to keeping our communities safe.”

In relation to Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union, he commented: “This is a unique opportunity to demonstrate the professionalism and capability of our police service on a European stage. Months of planning, coordination and preparation by An Garda Síochána have gone into ensuring the smooth running of our EU Presidency. It also provides Ireland with the opportunity to shape cooperation in European policing at a time when organised crime, cybercrime and security threats continue to grow.”