Ken Foxe
More than 280 gardaí have handed in their notice within five years of joining the force since 2020.
Figures from An Garda Siochána show that 214 male officers and 73 female gardaí resigned their post after only a few short years of service after graduation from Templemore College.
In the first 11 months of this year, there were 55 resignations within five years of joining, 42 men and 13 women.
That figure is below the total from 2023 when a total of 68 gardaí packed it in not long after joining up.
In 2022, there were 60 resignations and in 2021 there were 61 gardaí who opted to leave the force less than five years after attestation.
The figure for 2020 – when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its worst – was just 43, according to data released under Freedom of Information laws.
An Garda Síochána said that while any resignation was a concern, the figures were low in the context of the overall strength of their force.
They said a total of 4,849 gardaí had finished training in the Garda College between 2016 and 2024 and that less than 6 per cent had left.
A spokesman said: “The resignation rate, within 5 years of attestation, in each individual year is less than 0.5% of the entire workforce in each year.”
An Garda Síochána said it was clear that most officers were happy in their jobs with 137 applying to stay on after the compulsory retirement age of sixty over the past four years.
A further 688 members were promoted to the rank of sergeant while 1,800 had completed exams to become eligible for promotion to sergeant.
The spokesman said: “These numbers indicate a far greater number of garda members who are satisfied and committed to joining and working for An Garda Síochána compared to the number of resignations.”
An Garda Síochána said a resignation was a personal decision based on individual circumstances and that in some cases members who were the subject of internal discipline opted to step down “rather than be dismissed.”
“Ireland is currently experiencing full employment,” the spokesman said.
“Qualified gardaí have opportunities for employment in the private sector. International police services, recognising the quality of members of An Garda Síochána, are actively recruiting in Ireland and England.
