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A SENIOR GARDA has warned that numbers in the force could fall to 12,000 members in two years despite Government assurances that there will be more than 14,000 gardaí.
Ronan Clogher, General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) said that such is the issue of discontent in the ranks that people are leaving the job.
He also said that an impending problem will make the issue even worse. Clogher said that a large cohort of gardaí from a previous accelerated recruitment campaign are now nearing retirement age.
“We had 141 new recruits graduate on 2 March we have lost 109 through retirements and resignations in quarter one 2025.
“I wouldn’t be dramatic to say that we could be going down towards 13,000, 12,000 in the next year or two.
“We again highlighted this and we originally highlighted this in 2002 to the Minister for Justice at that time, we were ignored.
“The problem wasn’t acknowledged until about nine or ten months ago when the Department came out and said ‘yes we have a problem with recruitment’. What have they done about it?
“They’ve done a few talking gestures, tinkered around the edges. We need serious moves here, serious changes to address recruitment,” he added.
Clogher said that the solution could be to put financial incentives in place such as medical insurance and pension related payments.
“It’s not mind-blowing stuff.
“An Garda Síochána is not attractive for young people anymore and a major issue there is the social media. That is stopping it as well.
“Our young people in this country constantly see guards being abused on social media and being harassed.
“Guards can’t do their job. They’re followed by citizen journalists when they leave Garda stations. Phones constantly in their face. We have highlighted this on numerous issues and we need action on that, particularly around the recruitment,” he added.
Clogher said that in just recent months 20 members of AGSI – middle management gardaí – have left. The reason he said: “Because they’re not happy”.
“It comes down to the administration burden and also there is a feeling that there is way too much oversight now in An Garda Síochána.
“There’s too many [oversight] bodies watching. You cannot make a mistake. Gardaí are only human and if you make the slightest mistake you have several regulatory bodies all over you.
“And the people won’t put up with that. You’re just not paid enough for that sort of pressure,” he added.
Jim O’Callaghan, Minister for Justice, said that he would “leave no stone unturned” to increase garda numbers but said that there are difficulties with attracting people to so-called frontline roles because of shift work.
“I can’t predict the future, but my ambition will remain the same. To ensure that we can get more,” he said.
He said that “he hoped” that Ronan Clogher’s claim of continuing falling numbers.
“It’s challenging [recruitment], it’s ambitious, but I think we need to set it as our agenda or objective.
“The money has been allocated for us, so I’m not going to lessen my ambition and respect of that nobody can predict what’s going to happen in the future.
“With a very competitive work environment, obviously, people are attracted to other jobs as well, but then I just want to repeat being a member of An Garda Síochána is a great job.
“I’d encourage anyone to consider it. It’s an active job. It’s an exciting job, and it’s a job where you will do something different every day,” he added.
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