The government’s programme outlines plans to fund the recruitment of at least 5,000 new Gardaí and additional Garda staff over the next five years.

Since September 2014, a total of 4,716 Garda members have completed their training and been deployed to stations nationwide.

Drew Harris confirmed that new Garda recruits will join the force in March, June, and September this year, emphasizing his goal to “maximise” recruitment numbers. A new recruitment campaign is set to launch next month.

Despite efforts, the force is struggling to reach its target of 15,000 officers, with just over 14,000 members across all ranks as of the end of November last year.

Speaking at a Policing Authority meeting, Mr. Harris stated that four Garda graduations are planned for this year.

“The number of recruits set to attest this year is nearly fixed, as most are already in training,” he explained on Thursday.

“We know the figures from the last three intakes, and with the upcoming March intake, those recruits will graduate around November. In total, we will have four graduations this year.

“Our focus is on maximising the March intake and ensuring strong numbers for the June and September intakes as well.

“That’s why we’re launching this recruitment campaign in February—tom maintain a steady pipeline of applicants progressing through the process.

“It’s also important to ensure a positive experience for applicants, both in terms of engagement and the efficiency of the recruitment process.

“We have identified the bottlenecks and know the necessary steps to resolve them.

“We’re also introducing a new physical assessment, which will be finalised soon and implemented immediately in the upcoming recruitment campaign.”