THE RATE of retirements from An Garda Síochána has slowed to a three-year low and is running at less than half its peak of two years ago, Department of Justice figures reveal.
The data also shows that while the strength of the Garda force has begun to decline since the public sector recruitment moratorium was introduced, the drop in numbers is less than 1.5 per cent.
Figures released by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter reveal there were 12,438 rank-and-file gardaí at the end of 2009, when Garda numbers were at their peak, compared to 12,258 at the end of April.
The data also reveals retirements from the Garda to date this year are running at 147.
This compares to 362 for last year and 722 for 2009, when huge numbers retired early over fears their tax-free retirement gratuity payment was about to be taxed.
News that retirements have slowed and Garda numbers have declined only marginally comes just days after the Garda Representative Association and Association of Garda Sergeants (GRA) and Inspectors (Agsi) criticised the Government for not exempting the Garda from the public sector recruitment ban.
Agsi described as a “mistake” the lack of recruitment, saying the only “significant growth industry in any recession . . . is crime”.
The GRA said the only people who would welcome the Garda recruitment freeze were criminals.
The associations made their comments despite the fact that crime rates, particularly organised crime which accounts for very significant Garda resources, have been falling since the recession began.
Drug seizures and gun crime, including fatal shootings, are all considerably down on levels seen in 2008 and 2009. This is primarily because the drugs trade has been hit hard by the recession and, like the wider economy, has contracted.
Many people who used drugs recreationally no longer have as much disposable income to spend.
Mr Shatter was this morning due to attend a passing-out ceremony at the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, of the last class of Garda recruits in the Garda training system.
A Garda spokesman said recent reports that suggested the Garda College would close were wrong. The college would continue to run a large range of academic courses, in-service training programmes, retirement courses and Garda tactical operational courses.
This would involve large numbers of gardaí staying in the accommodation in Templemore for periods of varying lengths.
Other Garda sources said that because almost half of the force now had less than five years’ experience, the pressure on Templemore to provide in-service training would be higher in the next few years than at any time since the force’s foundation.
Garda numbers increased by 2,000 in the final years of the boom during a period of accelerated recruitment before the economy collapsed and all public-sector recruitment was stopped.
It is unclear how long Garda recruitment will be suspended.
