General Questions/Chat Regarding GR

Whats the difference between a real member of An Garda Siochana and a Reserve Member??





Joke by the way

EIRE1922 wrote: »

I would have serious issues with the way this recruitment process was carried out through Publicsjobs.ie by the Public Appointments Service and that several of the successful candidates will be extremely unsuitable for a career in An Garda Síochána!

What makes you think they will be unsuitable?

EIRE1922 wrote: »

I would have serious issues with the way this recruitment process was carried out through Publicsjobs.ie by the Public Appointments Service and that several of the successful candidates will be extremely unsuitable for a career in An Garda Síochána!

Go on list them off for us, and tell us why you think this way...

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

And what would those issues be? Can you provide an alternative?

There are several issues with it and many questions that need to be answered. I suggest that you open your eyes and go through it in detail.

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

I have gone through it in great detail and while not perfect, I don't believe it be done much better or more fair than it currently is.

Anyway, as I thought, you have a little moan but don't bother to back it up. I'll ask again, what issues are there and what alternatives would you offer ?

Oh I have a very big moan and concern about it!

So you are saying there are no issues with it at all? Clearly you have not gone through it in detail.

Go to the beginning of the recruitment process and you will begin to see the holes in the entire recruitment process.

EIRE1922 wrote: »

Oh I have a very big moan and concern about it!

So you are saying there are no issues with it at all? Clearly you have not gone through it in detail.

Go to the beginning of the recruitment process and you will beign to see the holes in the entire recruitment process.

Or you could just tell us what the holes are?? It would make the discussion a lot more interesting and free flowing. Otherwise it's a bit like someone walking into a room and proclaiming to know a really juicy secret and then refusing to tell anyone anything about it other than repeatedly and pointlessly saying "I know a secret"!!

are you serious wrote: »

are you one of the few who didnt get picked or who didnt pass the aptitude test?

Nope! :P

"Few", get picked you mean...? Statistically it would actually be thousands who do not!

Bloodwing wrote: »

Or you could just tell us what the holes are?? It would make the discussion a lot more interesting and free flowing. Otherwise it's a bit like someone walking into a room and proclaiming to know a really juicy secret and then refusing to tell anyone anything about it other than repeatedly and pointlessly saying "I know a secret"!!

EIRE1922 wrote: »

What are you on about..."I know a secret"? I never said a word.

I should not have to tell what holes are in it. It is so obvious. You do not have to be a detective to figure it out either.

I've highlighted the part of my post where I drew a similarity between what you actually said and someone pointlessly claiming to know a secret. The point I was making, which you seem to have missed, is that unless your willing to expand on your initial comment it was entirely pointless.

OK, I went back to the start.

The first step consisted of registering an interest in the job on publicjobs.ie before the positions were even announced. Everyone who registered received an e-mail when the competition opened telling then that the could now apply. There was a list of minimum educational qualifications required, as with almost every other professional job. This step seems fair to me.

Approximately 25,000 applied for the available positions. A series of online aptitude tests followed. These aptitude tests are internationally used to show a persons aptitude in different areas. This allowed PAS to reduce the number of applicants and sort the people who passed into various groups depending on results. Whilst the use of aptitude tests may not be ideal it is a better option than interviewing 25,000 people. Whilst not ideal it was still fair as all candidates had to complete this section.

Following the online tests there was a supervised test. This was to ensure that nobody cheated in the online stage. Again this is not perfect as some people may have had a bad day but there was an appeals process available if required. I think the report writing stage was done on the same day. The report writing exercise allowed a persons grammar and writing skills to be assessed and it also allowed them the opportunity to show their ability to observe details and record them correctly. These are vital parts of the job being applied for and therefore I think they were entirely fair and I see no issue with this stage.

The next step was the interview. Candidates were interviewed by a panel of three people one of whom was an officer from AGS. Notes were taken during the interview by a fourth person from PAS so that any issues raised later could be dealt with. To me this stage seems fair. Having relations in the job may have helped with the member of AGS on the panel but not with the two civilians who couldn't care less if your Daddy did 30 years in Store Street.

The next stages included a medical, carried out by a registered medical practitioner, vetting overseen by the GCVU and a physical that set a higher standard than previously seen in any other AGS recruitment process. Again to me this all seems fair.

I've obviously missed out on something because I'm not seeing any of these major holes or issues you referred to so I'd appreciate if you could help me out.

Oh, there is noting wrong with the recruitment process then at all (a Chief Superintendent and a former Assistant Garda Commissioner) must be wrong so...? It is wonderful! A fantastic model (adopted from/based on a Scottish model) and give the Public Appointments Service a medal and a pat on the back for running it so efficiently all these years without a single eyebrow being raised by AGS, any government department or the general public!? The Public Appointments Service are very open and transparant too - Commissioners for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). Nothing to see here, move along now please (we are all civil servants here ).


..."The next stages included a medical, carried out by a registered medical practitioner, vetting overseen by the GCVU and a physical that set a higher standard than previously seen in any other AGS recruitment process. Again to me this all seems fair..."

...yes, you can pass all of that but you can still end up going nowhere, be left in limbo and told nothing. Is that fair? I would say not and far from it for the hundreds of candidates who ended up in this situation over the past 20 or so years (same with the last of the 2008 Garda Trainee Campaign in 2010). Again...nothing to see here, move along now please (go apply again in 2013)!


You would not interview 25,000 people. No, well done! You get a promotion there for that analysis and detective work.

Compare it to 1997's/1998's recruitment campaigns and after a 3/4 year recruitment gap, is it relatively low if you take into consideration there is currently a huge unemployment level in and emigration out of Ireland. You would have expected at least 40,000 - 50,000 plus interest or initial applications, all be it potentially for only '100', 200? - 300? jobs as full-time Gardaí.








As for the intake of 100, although a seperate (but related issue, really)...is meaningless and is an insult to the Force because of this current government's measly token gesture. Are we likely to see the other 100 - 200 join? I very much doubt it! Possibly though in 2016, in time for the next General Election stunt. As we all know Fine Gael do not recruit Gardaí. The country needs 17,000 - 20,000 Gardaí for the increase size/growth of population that has occured over the past 10 years in Ireland. AGS is at least 5,000 - 7,000 members short.



They are not taking in the right candidates into the Force. Most have very little copon or common sense!

The recruitment process in flawed. The appeals mechanism is flawed! Next, the only way to apply will be you have to be standing on Mount Everest, standing one leg with your Apple iphone at 12 midnight on December the 31st!

If you think you get the best or better candidates by making the application for the Gardaí harder, you are wrong! You will just loose public interest and potentially loose a far better quality of candidate who may choose to join another Police Force or take an entire different career altogether.