O’Shea Welcomes Government Measures to Boost Garda Recruitment and Address Shortages in Cork North West

Cork North West Fine Gael TD, Deputy John Paul O’Shea, has welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Justice that significant measures are being implemented to increase Garda recruitment and strengthen policing resources across the country — including in Mallow, Charleville, Kanturk and Macroom.

Deputy O’Shea had raised the issue in the Dáil, highlighting ongoing shortages in Garda numbers across North and North West Cork calling for assurances that additional Gardaí will be assigned to rural stations in the coming months and years ahead.

In response, the Minister for Justice confirmed that Garda recruitment remains a top priority for Government, with the total strength of An Garda Síochána now standing at over 18,000 personnel — including 14,369 Garda members, 3,494 staff, and 296 Garda Reserves.

The Minister outlined a range of initiatives to boost recruitment and retention, including:

• An increase in the Garda trainee allowance to €354 per week

• Raising the entry age limit from 35 to 50;

• Increasing the mandatory retirement age to 62; and

• A new recruitment and training capacity group, chaired by a Deputy Secretary General, to ensure stronger and faster recruitment pipelines.

So far in 2025, 423 new probationer Gardaí have attested, with a further attestation due in November. Over 6,700 applications were received in the February recruitment campaign, and a second competition — which closed recently — will ensure a strong supply of new recruits for 2026.

Deputy O’Shea said “I welcome the Minister’s confirmation that Garda recruitment is accelerating and that measures are being taken to ensure more Gardaí enter the system in 2025 and 2026. Rural communities like Mallow, Charleville, Kanturk and Macroom rely heavily on visible policing, and it’s vital that we see more Gardaí on our streets and in our towns. These new recruitment and retention measures are an important step toward rebuilding Garda strength locally.”

“I will continue to press for additional allocations to Cork North West, ensuring that the region receives its fair share of new recruits as they come through Templemore. I will continue to work with the Minister and the Garda Commissioner to ensure that Cork North West sees tangible results from this renewed focus on recruitment,” Deputy O’Shea concluded.