Too posh to police? Why garda numbers are falling

This episode was originally published in September 2024.

An Garda Siochana has a serious retention and recruitment problem.

The Commissioner knows it, so does the Minister for Justice but despite public commitments to reach enrolment targets, ongoing recruitment campaigns and changes to admission criteria, efforts to increase the size of the force to the Government benchmark of 15,000 continue to falter.

There are now fewer sworn Garda members than at the start of last year.

Why? It’s a well-paying public service job, it offers career variety and progression and it offers the possibility of retiring with a full pension at 60 or even earlier.

Crime and security editor Conor Lally tells In the News the many reasons why encouraging citizens to join up is an uphill battle and what it means for policing in the State.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey and Declan Conlon.

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