THERE HAVE BEEN over 11,000 applications to the two garda recruitment competitions held in 2025, according to figures released today.

The figures suggest that 40% of those applicants were over thirty, while 32% of the applicants were women.

23% of applicants described themselves as other than “white Irish” and 57% were first-time applicants to a garda recruitment competition.

It was the first time that two hiring competitions were held in one year. The drives were conducted by publicjobs.ie on behalf of An Garda Síochána.

In the latest drive, over 40% of applicants were aged over 30 while in the February campaign, it was 42%.

Application process

Applicants will begin the first stage of the selection process (online assessments) late October, then take part in competency-based interviews from late November.

Candidates successful at the selection stage will then be forwarded to An Garda Síochána to complete the appointments process which includes a physical competency test, medical examination, and substance mis-use testing. Vetting also starts at this stage.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said: “This number of applicants so soon after our last competition in February demonstrates there is a lot of interest in making a difference to communities by becoming a garda.

“This level of applications will give us a strong pipeline of garda trainees as we seek to further grow the number of gardaí this year and in the coming years.”

The current number of gardaí is 14,325. At the moment, there are 564 garda trainees in training.

The next group of garda trainees will be sworn-in in mid-November and join frontline colleagues.

Commenting on the application numbers, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said “Since my appointment, I have made clear that my first priority is to get more Gardaí on our streets engaged in high visibility policing, so communities are safe and feel safe.

“We are seeing growing numbers embarking on a career with An Garda Siochana which leads to more Gardai patrolling our towns and cities throughout the country. This year 570 trainees have entered the Garda College in Templemore so far and a further 200 will enter the college to begin training in November.

He said that candidates who applied in February are already undergoing training in the and candidates that have applied in recent weeks will begin their training in 2026.