The Minister for Justice will today ask cabinet ministers to approve new Garda Reserve regulations, to allow more members into the force.
Minister Helen McEntee is targeting a Garda Reserve figure of 1,000 members, by 2026, up from the current level of 360. Minister McEntee will also reveal plans for the first Garda Reserve recruitment drive since 2017. The new regulations will allow Gardaí officers to provide better support and supervision for Reserve members, and also make the provision of training more efficient.The current regulations have been in place since 2006, and Minister McEntee believes they need to be updated to reflect, not just contemporary policing practice, but also to allow for such basics as the current Leaving Cert marking system to be used in applications.
Other changes include ensuring Reserves attending court are considered to be on active duty, and allowing those who wish to work more than the standard 208 hours per year, to do so. Currently, Garda Reserves can work alongside the Garda Road Traffic Unit, assisting with public order and crowd control, and helping with other day-to-day Garda work.