Gardai to start looking for new recruits from tomorrow

After a five-year break, the Gardai are looking for new boys and girls in blue from tomorrow

As part of the cost-cutting measures taken here in 2008, public service recruitment was stopped. That included the Garda Siochana, who have seen their numbers fall from 14,600 at that time to 13,100 today. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has often expressed his desire to reopen recruitment to the Gardai and it seems that day will be tomorrow.

Here's the front page of the PublicJobs website today

According to the Irish Times, they will be looking for people aged between 18 and 35 with a Leaving Cert. No details on the numbers they need at this stage but a staggering 30,000 people have expressed an interest in becoming a Guard in the last five years, so competition should be fierce no matter how many slots are available.