16/10/2013

Fine Gael Welcome Announcement Of Garda Recruitment

Recruitment for new Gardaí officers is set to begin next summer, Minister for Justice and Defence, Alan Shatter has announced.

Welcoming the news, Fine Gael TD for Mayo, Michelle Mulherin said: "With Garda numbers having fallen in recent years due to a combination of retirements and the moratorium on recruitment put in place by the previous Government in 2009, Gardaí have been doing more with less in order to ensure the safety of the public."

The minister added the recruitment of new officers would ensure gardaí strength was preserved at 13,000 officers.

Commenting on Minister Shatters agenda of reforms, Mulherin added: "Minister Shatter has introduced a number of measures such as; a new roster system to better manage policing demand and the deployment of Gardaí; a consolidation of Garda stations so that Gardaí on desk duties have been released into frontline operational policing activities; the provision of €9 million to purchase new Garda vehicles; a tax free allowance paid to members of the Garda Reserve; and the enactment of the Criminal Justice Act 2011, which conferred crucial new powers on the Gardaí to assist in both current and future investigations into alleged white collar crime.

"These are all important measures to protect our citizens and I would like to thank Minister Shatter for introducing these measures and for recommencing Garda recruitment next Summer."

(MH/JP)

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