Almost 11,000 people have applied for just 2,000 Garda posts, it emerged today.
The Public Appointments Service was inundated with applications from potential recruits before last week's deadline. Between 10,500 and 11,000 applications were received in total.
More than 90 per cent of the applications were made online via the publicjobs.ie website.
The expansion of An Garda Síochána by an additional 2,000 members was announced last October by Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell.
Under the €330 million plan, around 1,100 recruits will be recruited next year, with a similar number in 2006 and 2006.
This will allow the force to increase to 14,000 members, even as 1,350 senior gardaí go into retirement.
Gardaí who qualify from the training college in Templemore, Co Tipperary, will receive a salary of €22,520, rising in stages to €40,472.
A Garda spokeswoman said the new age limit, which was raised from 26 to 35, had contributed to the volume of applications. "There will be more people from a broader cross-section of society. The more experience the better," she said.
The 11,000 applicants will all sit aptitude tests in the New Year. The top 5 per cent will be brought forward for interview, while all others who pass the exam will remain in the recruitment pool. The final stage is a medical test and a physical fitness exam.
Around 400 of the recruits will be assigned to the new Garda Traffic Corps.
PA