Budget 2024 provided a budget allocation of more than €2.35 billion to An Garda Síochána. A 25% increase on 2020, this will allow for the sustained recruitment of Garda recruits.

Recruitment is gathering real momentum. The number of recruits in the Garda training college continue to increase with a total of 747 trainees last year. That was the highest intake since 2018.

There are currently three classes in the Garda College, two having entered in 2023 and one earlier this month. They will be attesting in: June, September and December. Based on the current numbers of last year and this year, indications are that between 600 and 700 new gardaí will attest this year.

Earlier this month, 185 new recruits entered the college. This is the first class of 2024. This is the highest intake that we have had since the closure of the college due to Covid-19. We have further intakes planned for July, September and December of this year. The target is to try to reach that 200 figure. We have been close in this intake. There is no reason we should fail to exceed that in the next intake which would mean between 800 and 1,000, the target that we set ourselves this year, can still be achieved.

Of course, we are doing everything that we can to not only encourage more into the college but making sure that we retain those that we have, from looking at financial issues to issues around health and stress in the work while also making sure that those who want to stay longer can retire later. The later involves legislation that I will bring forward in the coming weeks to try to address that as quickly as possible.

Deputy Alan Farrell has one minute.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for pointing out that she had some time for me.

I thank the Minister for her response. I am encouraged by the number of recruits who applied once the age limit was changed. That is really encouraging. It is something that I had called for, along with the training allowance to take account of that older age group who may have financial commitments and for whom, therefore, quitting work and going to Templemore on a small allowance was not appealing. I am encouraged by that.

I am conscious that in the coming years the target that we have set for ourselves of 15,000 will have to be reviewed, and ongoing recruitment such as this backed up with a commitment of the monetary amounts that the Minister has outlined to the House. The €2.3 billion in 2024 is extremely encouraging. Given the need for sustainability of that funding and also the emphasis on ongoing recruitment over the coming years, it has to come out of the budgetary cycle and become an absolute standard for An Garda Síochána that we are able to keep recruitment going within Templemore to keep pace with the growing population.

Approximately 40% of the applicants in the most recent campaign were over the age of 35. It has had a significant impact on those applying.

A steering group has been established to see what more we can do around the Garda numbers around the Garda College and whether there is more that we need to do by examining hybrid training moving outside of Templemore. That might not be the answer but we need to make sure that we are looking at every option possible to increase those numbers.

A total of 15,000 was the older target. We need to go beyond that. The Commissioner has said clearly 18,000 is where we need to get and as far as I am concerned, that is the target that I am working towards.

We are certainly in a challenging situation. We are approximately 1,000 less than we would have been if Covid had not impacted recruitment in the way that it has but I am really pleased that recruitment is gathering pace. We just need to make sure that it continues at that level and, obviously, increases even more.