MORE than 6,000 people have applied to become a Garda in the latest recruitment drive by the Irish police force.
Some 6,381 people have applied to become part of the force in the first recruitment campaign of 2024 – a significant increase on the 5,000 applications received 10 months ago.
The 2024 competition marked the first following the Government’s decision to increase the entry age limit to apply to become a Garda trainee from 35 years to 50.
The competition comes 10 months since the last a Garda under the recent recruitment competition.
Almost 37 per cent of applicants for the 2024 competition were people aged between 35 and 49,” a Gardai spokesperson confirmed.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris previously stated that the age limit increase would provide the opportunity to people who thought their chance had passed or who were considering a change of career to join An Garda Síochána.
More than 6,000 people have applied to become members of the Irish police forceThe latest Garda recruitment campaign, closed at 3pm on February 8, 2024.
“This level of applications coming less than a year since the last competition coupled with the fact that more than 2,000 applicants were aged over 35 confirms that interest in becoming a Garda is still high and it’s a job worth doing,” a Garda spokesperson said.
All applicants will now enter into a competitive selection process involving stages including online aptitude tests, a competency based interview a and fitness test.
Garda recruitment campaigns will continue to be run on an annual basis “to ensure a steady stream of Garda trainees entering the Garda College” the force confirms.
Welcoming the application figures, Ireland's Justice Minister Helen McEntee said: “The response to the latest Garda recruitment campaign has been very strong.
"I am delighted to see over 6,300 apply to become Gardaí – this is a significant increase on the 5,000 people who applied last year."
She added: "I am glad to see that so many people want to join An Garda Siochana and I am particularly pleased at the strong response from people aged between 35 and 50. Well over a third of the applications were in that age group.
"I have always said that nothing is off the table when it comes to recruitment.
"We have increased the training allowance and increased the age of entry from 35 to 50 and I am determined that An Garda Síochána grows to 15,000 members and beyond."
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