An Garda Síochána: Motion Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-13 ============================================================ Garret Kelleher (FG), Industrial and Commercial Panel Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Niall Collins, as teacht isteach agus cuirim fáilte roimhe. Molaim an rún seo thar ceann Sheanadóirí Fhine Gael tráthnóna inniu. Bhaineann sé leis An nGarda Síochána agus conas is féidir linn a thuilleadh tacaíochta a thabhairt do ghardaí chun an fórsa a neartú agus iad ag cosaint pobail ar fud na tíre. We recognise the crucial role played by An Garda Síochána in ensuring the security of the State, protecting and serving communities across Ireland through the maintenance of law and order and upholding the principles of justice. We are very proud of the core principle of policing by consent, and of the public respect afforded by the Irish people in communities across the country to An Garda Síochána. We recognise the continued investment across the justice system, including in An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Prison Service and the Probation Service. In relation to An Garda Síochána specifically, overall funding has increased by almost 50% since 2020, with investment of over €2.74 billion allocated for 2026. It is vital that we continue to invest in An Garda Síochána, and in improving resources and capacity at Templemore Garda College, to ensure we can reach our target of having a Garda force that exceeds 15,000 members. At the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Garda numbers reached a peak of 14,750. However, this fell by almost 1,000 to 13,880 in September 2024. Despite increased recruitment, it has proved difficult in recent years to get overall numbers close to target levels. Over the past six years, we have also seen significant population growth, from just under 5 million people in the State in 2020 to approximately 5.4 million people today, an increase of approximately 8%. We must ensure that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to meet the additional demands that population increases in communities across the country bring. It is also crucial that we see proportionality in the deployment of additional resources and extra gardaí across the country. My home county of Cork accounts for some 11% of the population of the State and has seen significant population growth in recent years. It received an allocation of only five out of 168 probationary gardaí in February, less than 3% of the overall total, while 62% of the February numbers were allocated to Dublin. Without intending to be too parochial about it, we need to see proportionality across the country, bearing in mind the communities, counties, towns and villages that have seen disproportionate population growth. While An Garda Síochána operates at the heart of our communities, protecting the State, protecting our communities and maintaining law and order, it is not a job without risk. We need to ensure that members of An Garda Síochána and their families are given the protections necessary to enable them to carry out their jobs, bearing in mind the new challenges and threats that exist. We call on this House to condemn threats made against members of An Garda Síochána and the targeting of their families online. We also remember the 90 members of An Garda Síochána who have lost their lives in the line of duty, the most recent of whom was Garda Kevin Flatley, whose first anniversary was on Monday of this week. We remember Garda Flatley. We also remember Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, who was murdered by the Provisional IRA in Adare in 1996, and whose 30th anniversary will occur next month. We welcome the decision to increase the maximum age for joining An Garda Síochána from 35 years to 50. This will enable people with other life experiences to join and to bring different perspectives and diversity to the force. We also welcome the decision to increase penalties for attacks on members of An Garda Síochána and front-line workers to up to 12 years' imprisonment. We welcome the introduction of body-worn cameras for members of An Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service. We also welcome the news that Garda numbers are expected to reach 15,000 within the next year. The Minister of State might elaborate on that point. If that target is to be achieved, it would represent a high point in the history of the State. We hope that we can grow the numbers beyond 15,000 in the near future. Particularly with the changes that have come about and the additional incentives, we hope to see a target north of 15,000 become achievable. We welcome the work that is ongoing to increase capacity at the Garda College to accommodate up to 250 trainees per intake. We also welcome the significant increase in the number of Garda reserves, with a target to increase the number of reserve members to over 600 this year. We welcome the high-visibility policing operation under way by the Garda, which is often commented on by members of the public. In my experience of interactions as a public representative, I am told that people feel a lot safer. It is something that I have noticed, and it has been very successful. To see gardaí on the beat in the heart of our communities makes people feel safer, in particular business owners. It is to be welcomed, and we would like to see it improved into the future. In the Bill, we call for the forthcoming pay deal for public servants to reflect the invaluable role of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces in Irish society. We call for the development of new policies to penalise individuals who target members of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces online. We call for the development of a clear pursuit driving policy, which my colleague Senator O'Donovan will elaborate on in his contribution. We call for gardaí to be provided with a separate driving licence classification for use while on duty and the establishment of a full-time public order unit within An Garda Síochána. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-13/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:56+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-05-13