Garda Recruitment - Applying to join An Garda Siochana

the locust

Whilst people are waiting has anyone looked into doin stuff in the mean time to help out thier applications/or once they get in the job - i.e. a course in criminal law? forensics? criminology? or got some community involvement etc...?

mufc4lfe

My L.C. 2009
7 SUBJECTS
4 HIGHER
3 ORDINARY
PASSED EVERYTHING!
275pts

Planning on becoming a member of An Garda Siochana(once things pick up in a few years:pac:) after I complete my 3 year course in my local I.T

IrelandRos

funkyflea wrote: »

I'm happy to pencil in 2011 and then I'll be pleasantly surprised should anything crop up beforehand. Think people just gotta sit tight for now.

Hello, how are things?
Any advice on someone without Maths to wishes to apply?

cushtac

IrelandRos wrote: »

Hello, how are things?
Any advice on someone without Maths to wishes to apply?

Unless you have a recognised qualification that out-does the leaving cert then you'll have to go back & pass LC maths.

Ruairi88

My advice to you is 2 years ago I was in the same perdicament
and there is no way around the system you have to have at
least a D3 in ordinary level or a B2 in foundation level maths to
proceed in the competition.

You can just go back to do maths so you wont have the stress
of all the other subjects on top of it.But make sure you have a
language also.While Recruitment is quiet don't throw the oppurtunity
away to get the result you require.None of us are sure here when the
next recruitment for AGS will be but you can safely say it is a year
away at least.And by that stage you should have your required Grade!.

Go back and do maths!.

IrelandRos

Ya, now is the time do get it done alright, ive seen a course coming up at the local VEC, its a Back to Education Initiative (B.T.E.I) Leaving Cert Maths - Lower Level, im not sure is this is properly recognised if i wor to do it this route, did anyone ever hear to this?

I'm listening

IrelandRos wrote: »

Ya, now is the time do get it done alright, ive seen a course coming up at the local VEC, its a Back to Education Initiative (B.T.E.I) Leaving Cert Maths - Lower Level, im not sure is this is properly recognised if i wor to do it this route, did anyone ever hear to this?

Best bet is to ring Garda HQ and find out, you'll know for certain then.

Good Luck

Mr Alan key

jus wonderin if havin a door security course with two years expierence would damage my chances of getting into the guards

I'm listening

Mr Alan key wrote: »

jus wonderin if havin a door security course with two years expierence would damage my chances of getting into the guards

Damage?

ondarack

Mr Alan key wrote: »

jus wonderin if havin a door security course with two years expierence would damage my chances of getting into the guards

i'm far from being in but i was in the same boat as you worrying if it would harm my chances but i've had no problem so far and i've a medical next month. just use it to your advantage in your applications and interview

Rihanna

Mr Alan key wrote: »

jus wonderin if havin a door security course with two years expierence would damage my chances of getting into the guards

how would it damage your chances? plenty of ex-door men in the gardai. as another poster said use it to your advantage, in the interview explain how you are good at making balanced decisions, you have experience in conflict resolution,working as a team with the rest of the door men....... BLAH BLAH ETC ETC.......

kjbsrah

Hi everyone,

I used to read this thread a lot when i was going through the thought process of deciding to join the gardai or not. I had to decide to come home from London and a fantastic social life with lots of friends. On the other hand joining the gardas was something that had always been on the back of my mind. So at the age of 35 i entered templemore to start my 'vocation'. I had no kids or husband so i had only to think of myself. Nothing prepared me for being treated like an imbecile unable to think for myself!! I NEVER adjusted to that. For the full 6 months (phase 1) i absolutely hated the attempts to institutionalise me.

Totally enjoyed phase 2 in a busy country station. Although as a student you tended to be ignored - when out on beat with a member that said member would often complain to other members that s/he hated being 'on their own' even though they had not been. Being referred to as 'the student' by gardai not bothering to remember my name was a bit odd i thought. In my previous 'professional' work, every temp or contractor had a name and was referred to as such. I did not like this laziness of members to dismiss me as a 'nobody'. They had been students too - mosts of them very recently!

Phase 3 was a return to Phase 1 although living out was a plus.

I read from several posts that there is an issue with student gardai getting paid. The difference between student gardai and the wider student population is that they have time to get part time paid work. With being a student gardai, lectures are solid from 9am to 5pm (you cannot leave the premises). Then more often than not you have to study for class the next day - when you will be asked questions in front of your whole class (often 100 people) and you are humiliated if you get a question wrong. So this often results in study being done monday - thursday nights well into the small hours. This is totally true - anyone who says they are in the pub every evening are pulling your leg and certainly they are in the minority.

So finally i am attested and a 'real garda'. I go to my station and am hit by the horrible atmosphere. Every one is demoralised. I realise that politics plays a massive part in every aspect of the job. 2 years on and its still the same. The work itself is fine - getting time to get all paperwork done is difficult but you can work around that. Its the politics that wrecks ppls heads.

You soon realise that the same 3-4 ppl get ALL the training courses. Courses that are never advertised because members are approached by the higher beings because they are the 'chosen' ones. Its not just my own station. I recently met up with mosts of my class from templemore and they all have the same story.

It does not matter how hard a person works or how many 'thank-you' cards or appreciation shown to a member by members of the public - if you are not one of the 'golden ppl' you get nowhere. You can try for a transfer of a swap but as we all know there is no movement in the gardai at this time.

I can promise you i am not having a rant - far from it. I'm just trying to paint a fairly realistic picture. Don't get me wrong. In my station most people get along very well and we have the craic, but when (again) someone mentions they did a course (another one) no matter how short or what it was about, jealousy does set in a bit. And because there is an atmosphere of envy around, people getting any training tend to keep it to themselve and this all adds to the feeling of haves and have-nots.

The job itself is fine its the politics that ruin it.

As to being older, my sergeant who is 7 years younger actually said to me that i was at a disadvantage having worked before coming into the gards as i had too much to unlearn whereas he coming straight from college into the gards had the advantage!!!! Thats what a person is up against. Its all PR saying they want older people in the job because they have experience to bring to it!!

Anyone thinking they would 'really' like to be a garda just ask yourself if you could work in that sort of environment. And dont be thinking that 'this one obviously has been passed over'. Cos thats not it at all. I'm only just out of my probation so i should not be expecting anything much being so near the beginning of my career. But when you seen members with 8-10 years experience and have a fantastic work return and are very active. When you see these people getting very demoralised about the job and several of them are thinking and talking about leaving. It just makes you think.

Any how, i found this thread very useful when i was joining and shortly after. Have not been on in over a year.

Good luck to those waiting for the recruitment to be restarted. We don't expect it, but then we could be surprised. We are loosing 80-150 ppl each 2 months to retirement so more members are definitely needed. Good luck with it all.

Ruairi88

Wow!.think that is genuinely the way things are within the force
Morale is low due to cuts and income being hammered on this that
and the other!.We all sympathise with you and isn't that usually the
way Irish society is.It isn't about what you know but who you know.
And I'm sure AGS is no different but I think most people know this
and arn't offset.I wouldn't be anyway.And at your age 37 Im sure you
have the experience of life.

Would you like to move up RANK in AGS or are you happy the way you
are?.

And you being a Guard why don't You and the 14000+ march to the
DAIL and arrest every single Fianna Fail and Green Party member
on charges of "Destruction Of The State"?.

bruno_12345

Lads

Just checking for the requirements for the Garda's regarding leaving cert results. I failed my Irish but passed my Maths, English, French, & every other subject. Can anyone see a problem with my results

Ruairi88

Bruno You have absolutely no problem what so ever the education
requirements are you have to have either English "OR" Irish and a Foreign
language!.You have your English and French.Your Sorted!.

Min is 5 d3's at ordinary level.

Geri Boyle

Not strictly true Ruairi, Bruno your results are fine but you dont need to have a 'foreign' language as such. You need 2 languages. AT LEAST one of which must be Irish or English. If you happen to have Irish and English, happy days that's your 2 or you can have Irish and French, or English and German etc etc.. But if you have Irish and English thats fine too.

Ruairi88

Ok I stand corrected.Well either way Bruno's ok!. Interesting report
yesterday in the Paper.There is 150 Gardai assigned to immigration
at Dublin airport now because of the shortage of Gardai there thinking
of pulling AGS out of Dublin Airport and replacing them with a private
agency!. The Gardai would be assigned to stations all accross Dublin
where the shortages have arrisen.

Would it not make more sense to bring more Gardai through rather than
pay an outside agency?.Or would the Dublin Airport Authority foot the bill?.

My mate who is only a trainee is working right up until next saturday
that would be his 13th day straight worked!.Hopefully it's only a matter
of time!.

TeaTowel

Hi Kjbsrah,

Thanks for the very interesting and insightful post, I'm suprised only one other person has commented on it.

Do you regret joining? Are you as demoralised as some of your colleagues you mention are? Do you see yourself still as a guard in 15/20/30 years time?
You mentioned that its "two years on" since your attestation, so I'm guessing that you started as a probationer around 2007, so even before the recession you said the atmosphere was horrible, I imagine its 10 times worse now??

Many thanks for more insights.

TT

DarrenGT4

Hello. i was attending a school last year to complete my leaveing cert. iv my first year done and started my second year next monday.

Anyway i was talking to a lad last year that was 33 years of ages trying for the Garda aswell as myself. Now his brother is already in the Garda stationed in Dublin.

He was telling me if your looking to try join the Garda force full time, he would not recommend Joining the Garda reserve as it wont help your application for the real thing.

Would anyone elce agree with this. im 19 years of age and might try joining the garda reserve Just to get the bit of experience since there not takeing on full time Garda for another 2-3 years.

Can i apply for the reserve now even dow i wont have my leaveing cert completed this time next year.
Or should i just wait?

I'm listening

DarrenGT4 wrote: »

Hello. i was attending a school last year to complete my leaveing cert. iv my first year done and started my second year next monday.

Anyway i was talking to a lad last year that was 33 years of ages trying for the Garda aswell as myself. Now his brother is already in the Garda stationed in Dublin.

He was telling me if your looking to try join the Garda force full time, he would not recommend Joining the Garda reserve as it wont help your application for the real thing.

Would anyone elce agree with this. im 19 years of age and might try joining the garda reserve Just to get the bit of experience since there not takeing on full time Garda for another 2-3 years.

Can i apply for the reserve now even dow i wont have my leaveing cert completed this time next year.
Or should i just wait?

Of course the Garda Reserve will help you for the full time, not only for the experience but also to show you have an genuine interest. I joined when I was 19 and it helped me greatly when applying for the full time.

Can't apply for the Reserve till you have your leaving cert completed.

DK47

DarrenGT4 wrote: »

Hello. i was attending a school last year to complete my leaveing cert. iv my first year done and started my second year next monday.

Anyway i was talking to a lad last year that was 33 years of ages trying for the Garda aswell as myself. Now his brother is already in the Garda stationed in Dublin.

He was telling me if your looking to try join the Garda force full time, he would not recommend Joining the Garda reserve as it wont help your application for the real thing.

Would anyone elce agree with this. im 19 years of age and might try joining the garda reserve Just to get the bit of experience since there not takeing on full time Garda for another 2-3 years.

Can i apply for the reserve now even dow i wont have my leaveing cert completed this time next year.
Or should i just wait?

the only way it can effect you is if you do some thing to show you are not suited to the job, and as it stands if you dont mention at interview you are a reserve it has no bearing. at the superintendent interview for the reserves he told me that joining the reserves with the view to becoming a garda is probably the most excepted reason for becoming a reserve with the rank and file. he also said in a round a bout way, that the "local curtin twitcher" and the local "i want to single handedly save my community" applicants are looked on as no more then busy bodys. join for a real purpose, with real ambitions, real motivations, this can do no more then help you, if any thing being a reserve will do more for your application then take away form it.:)

mufc4lfe

What is the story with increments?Is it only for a 4 year degree that you get the extra money?How much do you get?Is it worth doing a degree before joining?Im doing renewable energy in college would I have been better off doing something like social care which might help for the guards?
Sorry for all the questions thanks!:o

jypo

Just saw this if anyone wants a gander,:mad:

http://www.thepost.ie/news/gardai-call-for-hiring-freeze-and-retirement-age-increase-43906.html

Mainistir

Folks i dont like the look of that....lets hope they ignore it just like they ignore it when people call for a recruitment drive or an intake...although knowing our luck they will probably back it!!!

DK47

is there not a public service recruitment ban as it is. the force need the experience and the public need the experienced gardi at the top. if they get the retirement age lifted they will still call for recruitment when needed. anyway changing the retirement age wont stop those who are leaving to protect their pension from leaving! The health service, Education and the emergencey services need to be adequately staffed, financed and resourced. cut the numbers of ministers, tds and senators. then cut the paper pushers who are clogging the public service. if we keep cutting essential services, because its the easy option and its a quick fit, when we come out the other side of the recession the country will be in a mess.

ginge82

Hi everyone,

I just wondered if someone could clarify some questions I have at the moment? I am a 27 year old, English artist who is seriously considering applying for full time Garda. (If and when they choose to accept new applicants)

I have 7 GCSE's (one in French, D) 3 A levels (Art, English Lit, English Language) a foundation level Art & Design qualification and a Ba(hons) Fine Art. Can somebody please clarify if I would meet the basic educational requirements at this stage, having been through the English education system? (I am just a tad confused as to what a 'leaving certificate' is.)

Reading through the website I noticed that Templemore offers a 2-year Student/Probationer Education Programme with an award of a Degree in Police Studies. Is this course completed by all applicants who wish to be full time guards?

I'm just a little confused as to if/why new recruits have to obtain a police studies degree. Are all Garda graduates? (I know that in England, no such thing is expected during training)

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

civildefence

ginge82 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I just wondered if someone could clarify some questions I have at the moment? I am a 27 year old, English artist who is seriously considering applying for full time Garda. (If and when they choose to accept new applicants)

I have 7 GCSE's (one in French, D) 3 A levels (Art, English Lit, English Language) a foundation level Art & Design qualification and a Ba(hons) Fine Art. Can somebody please clarify if I would meet the basic educational requirements at this stage, having been through the English education system? (I am just a tad confused as to what a 'leaving certificate' is.)

Reading through the website I noticed that Templemore offers a 2-year Student/Probationer Education Programme with an award of a Degree in Police Studies. Is this course completed by all applicants who wish to be full time guards?

I'm just a little confused as to if/why new recruits have to obtain a police studies degree. Are all Garda graduates? (I know that in England, no such thing is expected during training)

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

I believe the Leaving Cert is equivalent to the UK's A-Levels. But seeing you have a degree, this may see you through.

ginge82

Thankyou for your reply,

Would I be expected to complete the police studies degree at Templemore if I wanted to be a full time guard?

civildefence

ginge82 wrote: »

Thankyou for your reply,

Would I be expected to complete the police studies degree at Templemore if I wanted to be a full time guard?

AFAIK all phases must be completed in their entirity with no exceptions. Any Garda I know has done the degree as part of recruit training. I am open to correction however.

mufc4lfe

What is the story with increments?Is it only for a 4 year degree that you get the extra money?How much do you get?Is it worth doing a degree before joining?I'm doing renewable energy in college would I have been better off doing something like forensics/social care which might help for the guards?
Sorry for all the questions thanks!