Justice minister asks people in ‘sedentary’ jobs to consider 'exciting' careers as gardaí

The justice minister has appealed to people in “sedentary” jobs to consider becoming gardai, ahead of the launch of a new recruitment campaign.

Jim O’Callaghan, who was appointed Justice Minister on Thursday, said despite negativity around the role of a garda, it provides an “exciting”, “varied” career.

The programme for government sets out a target to fund the recruitment of at least 5,000 new gardai and additional Garda staff over the next five years.

Since September 2014, a total of 4,716 Garda members have attested and been deployed to Garda stations around Ireland.

Mr O’Callaghan admitted that it was going to be “a challenge” to recruit 1,000 gardai a year.

“I don’t underestimate the challenge,” he said.

“If you look at the programme for government, there are some new proposals in respect to it, there’s consideration given to increasing the training allowance, that’s something I want to see.

“There’s also consideration given to opening a second training college. We’re looking at different means of allowing people to access into An Garda Siochana.”

He added: “I’m very aware that if the numbers aren’t rising, I will have to consider innovative measures to ensure that we do get the numbers up.”

He said that about a third of applicants to join An Garda Siochana last year were from people aged between 35 and 49.

“I would appeal to people who maybe are doing sedentary jobs, who are doing jobs that may not be particularly exciting, consider a job within the Garda Siochana, because it’s an exciting career, it’s a worthwhile career, and it’s a career that is committed to public service and your community.”

He added: “It may sound interesting to be working in a tech company or an office-based job, but you’ll find it’s a very sedentary life.

“If you want an exciting life, if you want to have variety in your work life, you really should give consideration to a job within the Garda Siochana.”

Asked about the number of gardai doing desk work, Mr O’Callaghan said: “I want to see more gardai out on the street, I do not want to see gardai in offices. It’s a waste of resources to have gardai in offices.”