Minister Jim O’Callaghan welcomes the attestation of 167 new Gardaí
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí:
- 167 probationer Gardaí assigned to Garda Divisions across the country
- Strong pipeline of Gardaí established with three further attestations scheduled to take place this year
- Over 200 new trainees due to enter the Garda College next week
6 February 2026
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan welcomed the attestation of 167 new Gardaí at a ceremony in the Garda College in Templemore today.
100 men and 67 women have been attested and will now be assigned to Garda divisions across the country by the Garda Commissioner.
104 probationer Gardaí will be deployed across the Dublin Metropolitan Region, with 21 assigned to the Southern Region, 31 to the Eastern Region and 11 to the North-Western Region.
Speaking at the Garda College, Minister Jim O’Callaghan said:
“I am very pleased to see another 167 new Gardaí attest from Templemore today. This is the first of four attestations due to take place this year and I look forward to larger classes attesting as the year progresses.
“This cohort of newly attested Gardaí will take up positions in communities across the country as they begin a career of service to their communities, and to the people of Ireland. They join a tradition that stretches back over a century, one built on trust, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to the public they serve.
“Recruitment into An Garda Síochána is now gathering real momentum. I am looking forward to seeing this momentum continue in 2026. The next intake of up to 215 Garda trainees will enter the Garda College next Monday, 9 February.”
Two recruitment campaigns were held in 2025 and over 11,100 people applied to join An Garda Síochána. An Garda Síochána is engaging with publicjobs in relation to the scheduling and conducting of another recruitment competition this year. This will ensure a steady pipeline of new recruits into Templemore.
Minister O’Callaghan continued:
“Under Budget 2026 I secured funding of €2.74 billion for An Garda Síochána to support recruitment and staffing. I will work with the Garda Commissioner to optimise recruitment. This includes expanding capacity of the training college.
“The Garda Training Review Group has been established to identify how we can increase the scale and capacity of training and continuous professional development in An Garda Síochána.
“The group will also consider, in line with a commitment in the Programme for Government, the case for a second Garda training college.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Two Garda recruitment campaigns ran in 2025. Over 11,100 people applied to enter An Garda Síochána. Plans are currently underway for a further recruitment campaign this year.