The Garda Síochána will launch a national recruitment competition on Monday, 14th August, 2006, for both Garda Trainees, as full time members of the Garda Síochána and for Garda Reserve members.

This campaign will be the most extensive undertaken by the Garda Síochána and will comprise of print advertisements in national daily & Sunday newspapers, along with advertisements in some 50 local and provincial newspapers. Radio advertisements, both local and national, will be a feature for the first time in a Garda Recruitment Campaign. As with previous campaigns, advertisements will also be placed in publications catering for various minority communities. Online banner advertisements are also being placed (www.yahoo.ie and www.RecruitIreland.ie).

The recruitment campaign was designed by marketing agency, DMA, (www.dma.ie) who were awarded the contract following open competition (see www.e-tenders.gov.ie, publication date 16th June, 2006).The Public Appointment Service http://www.publicjobs.ie/ will once again manage the selection process on behalf of the Garda Síochána.

The competition for Garda Trainees will close on the 19th September 2006. Candidates for the posts of Garda Trainee can only apply on-line at www.garda.ie and/or http://www.publicjobs.ie/. It is anticipated that some 1000+ Garda Trainees will be selected from this competition, the first of whom are scheduled to commence training at the Garda College, Templemore in February, 2007.

The selection of Garda Reserves will be an open-ended process and those wishing to apply can do so on-line at www.garda.ie and/or http://www.publicjobs.ie/ or on LoCall 1890 261 000 from the 14th August, 2006.

Significant changes were made to the rule governing entry to the Garda Síochána in 2005. These changes opened up entry to the Garda Síochána to persons in Ireland from all parts of the community and from all ethnic backgrounds. The Garda Síochána continues to welcome applications from all sectors of our community, whether as full time or reserve members. The conditions of entry to the Garda Reserve are broadly similar as for the full time service, though a higher age limit of 60 applies.

The Garda Síochána (Reserve Members) Regulations 2006 were made recently by the Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform. These regulations provide for the recruitment, training and appointment of reserve members to assist the Garda Síochána performing its functions. The regulations and an information booklet on the Garda Reserve are available on the Department’s website http://www.justice.ie/

Further details regarding the competition and notes for candidates are available here on www.garda.ie and/or http://www.publicjobs.ie/