Speech by Minister of State Niall Collins at the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association Annual Delegate Meeting 2025

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President,

Delegates,

Distinguished guests,

Colleagues and friends,

It is a privilege to join you here today on the banks of the River Shannon, and to thank you for the warm welcome extended to me by President Joe Dirwan and the Central Committee.

Let me begin by paying tribute to the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association, a proud and principled organisation that continues to serve its members and the wider community with distinction.

For over sixty years, you have been a strong advocate for the welfare, dignity, and recognition of those who served our State with honour. You have built a community of care, of camaraderie, and of continued public service.

You have carried forward the values of the earliest members of An Garda Síochána, those who helped shape the very fabric of our State. That legacy of service continues today in your advocacy, your community presence, and your commitment to each other.

Through your Síocháin magazine, your welfare services, and your promotion of wellbeing, you have created a vibrant network of support. This is more than an association; it is a community that continues to serve.

I want to acknowledge the leadership of President Joe Dirwan, who steps down today after years of dedicated service to your members. Joe, your commitment will be remembered.

I also wish to recognise General Secretary Mick Lernihan, who will retire later this year.

Mick, your work has ensured that the voice of retired Gardaí is not only heard, but respected.

Your leadership has helped shape this Association into a powerful and principled voice for those who have given so much to this country.

As we honour your leadership, we also reflect on the issues you have raised, from pensions to medical cards to access to wellbeing support. You have raised your issues with clarity and conviction, and this government will engage meaningfully and positively with you. Your concerns are heard, and your service is respected.

We know that the challenges faced by those who served does not end with retirement, and so we must continue to explore ways to support retired members.

This government is fully committed to supporting An Garda Síochána as nothing is more important to us than building safe and secure communities.

Everyone has the right to be safe, and to feel safe, in their home and in their community. An Garda Síochána is at the heart of that mission.

This government is ambitious for a larger, stronger, and better resourced Garda organisation, one that is equipped to meet the evolving needs of our communities and to uphold the high standards of service that the public rightly expect.

As of 30 April this year, there were 14,223 serving members of An Garda Síochána, an increase of 11 percent since 2015. When we include Garda staff and reserves, the total workforce strength stands at 17,829.

We are encouraged by the success of the most recent Garda recruitment campaign, which attracted over 6,700 applicants, a significant increase from 6,300 last year and 5,000 the year before.

These numbers show that the role of a Garda continues to inspire a new generation of public servants, people who are ready to serve, to protect, and to carry forward the proud tradition that you helped to build.

As part of our commitment under the Programme for Government, we set an ambition to recruit at least 5,000 new Gardaí and additional Garda staff over the next five years. We are not just growing the service, we are strengthening it by investing in the future of policing, and in the safety of every town, village, and city in Ireland.

To recruit and retain our best and brightest talent, we have increased the Garda trainee allowance, raised the entry age, and extended the mandatory retirement age. These are practical steps to ensure that experience is valued, and that service is sustainable.

They also recognise that the strength of An Garda Síochána lies not only in numbers, but in the quality, character, and commitment of its people.

Just last week, my colleague and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan attended the attestation of the newest class of Gardaí in Templemore. It was a day of pride and promise.

He spoke of the legacy that each new recruit inherits, a legacy built by you, the retired members of An Garda Síochána.

Minister O’Callaghan also paid tribute to Garda Kevin Flatley, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty last month.

Kevin was described by his colleagues as “one of life’s good guys,” a devoted family man, a cherished friend, and a Garda who embodied the very best of this organisation.

On behalf of the government, I thank this Association for extending your deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues both serving and retired.

His loss is deeply felt, and we remember him today with sorrow and with honour. His service, like yours, reminds us of the courage and humanity at the heart of policing in Ireland.

Being a member of An Garda Síochána is, and always has been, a job worth doing. It is a job that demands courage, compassion, and commitment. And it is a job that carries risk. That is why the State owes a debt to all who have served, past and present.

It is also a job with a special place in Irish society. Nine out of ten people in Ireland say that they trust Gardaí, that they have been treated with respect, and that they have found Gardaí to be friendly and helpful.

That is a powerful endorsement, and it reflects the values that you helped to create. People want to see Gardaí in their communities, working with them, protecting them, and standing with them.

That is the legacy of An Garda Síochána. That is your legacy.

Not every country holds its police officers in such esteem. But in Ireland, we remember, we respect, and we remain grateful.

As we look to the future, we do so on the foundation you have laid through your service, your sacrifice, and your steadfast commitment to your communities.

You served during some of the most difficult and dangerous periods in our nation’s history. You stood firm in the face of threats, you upheld the law with integrity, and you earned the trust of the people you served. That trust is the cornerstone of effective policing, and it is your legacy.

To all of you here today, thank you for your service, and thank you for the example you have set for generations to come.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.

ENDS