Garda Reserve Recruitment 2024

If straightforward information came across as patronising to you, that’s about how it was received rather than how it was meant.

I’m simply outlining the reality. Screenshots of this thread were already shared around. So take from that what you will.

In any case, I genuinely wish you well if you stay on with the reserves or go full time; the job has a way of recalibrating attitude and expectations quickly. Best of luck on your unit!

@Marty1476 , my comment genuinely was not aimed at you. I am sorry if it came across that way, and I can understand how it might have since you were the only person I mentioned. I only included that last part for clarity because I had just read your comment and knew your interview is coming up. The reason I said the Super was not the right person to ask is simply because they likely would not have any information other than an idea of potential intakes.

You have a great attitude, and that will earn you a lot of respect and mates. You will be seen as one of the lads rather than the “the reserve on the unit”. There is plenty you can get involved in beyond public office duties. If you have a positive attitude about helping with things like phones, public office and the day to day tasks that everyone else does, you will 99% be included in almost everything depending on where you are stationed. The more busier stations have very young and busy units, so nobody should give you any crap about being a reserve. They’ll be happy to have an extra person out with them in the car or in the station.

If you ever want to send me a message, feel free. I am happy to give you a clearer idea of the job, or if you are feeling any anxiety about your interview, I can answer any general cultural questions you have although I’m not sure what the super suitability interview will be like for you.

PostmanPat

I agree with Marty and Hopeful.

Do you have a current application in for Reserves? If not than you can't really speak for us. We have been waiting a long time for news on training a, lot of us since applying in July 2024. How long have you been waiting? The system for recruiting is very slow and possibly needs to revamped if the Gardai are to recruit the targeted amount of Reserves. It might be a bit much to start judging people that have put a lot of effort into their reserve applications and are eager to serve as volunteers.

The reality isn’t patronising. Again if you receive it that way, I am not sure how someone like that would fare on a Unit?

If you’re in the force in some capacity which I assume that you are from your reply, you’ll know that it won’t be advice that you will be given, you will be told less politely to stop talking or worse nobody will say anything but you’ll suddenly find it to be a very lonely experience and for the rest of your time you’ll be “that guy”.

I agree with what you're saying, but the beauty about the internet is that we can be anonymous in our posts.

PostmanPat may or may not be an active, or retired AGS member. It's for you to decide if his comments are upsetting or beneficial, and what you do with the information he provides is your business, with respect.

For me, I do have an active reserve application! and I wont lie and say that I'm not wildly frustrated by how its been handled.

The way I look at things (which I'm not forcing on anyone) is that we have a new Commissioner (set back 1) and relatively new justice minister (set back 2 ), a depleted and under resourced vetting team ( set back 3 ) a massive full time recruitment drive (set back 4), a lack of resources in the college ( set back 5), a government directive to fulfil full time numbers (set back 6).

All of these 'set backs' are not a priority to focus on the Reserve programme!

I'm not saying that I'm right in any stretch, but I'm also being realistic in what each of the 'Set backs' priorities are, in my opinion.

Strap in for the ride. Only you can decide if it's for you

The process is frustrating,

The process is 100% frustrating for everybody. Especially for reserve candidates who I’d imagine 99% of are either super motivated to help out their community and or want to get a taste of the job so they can decide on applying FT.

Hopefully you get called soon. It isn’t anything personal to the reserve candidates, if you look at the ft forums, they’re experiencing similar issues. Posting online is one thing, I’d really would recommend saying f it once you get in the door and leave it behind you though. It’s easy to get caught in a loop as I’m sure you’d know yourself.

what makes you say or think that? Curious to know

If you don’t like the truth, stay offline. It is not an opinion, it’s fact. You don’t know the job lol, and it’s not egotistical. There’s over 1k applications, only a fraction of them are complaining on here. Nobody is forcing you to apply. Don’t know what to reply to the last part 😂😂😂😂.

P.S, it really isn’t egotistical nor is it an opinion. Only a small fraction of people are on here harassing the HR teams, who are of an even smaller fraction of the overall campaign texting on boards, of however many applied. There are lads and ladies from home waiting to get in full time who have a much more intensive process completed, all very competent for all aspects of the job and all of them ranked very highly. They’re frustrated as much as you are but they get on with it as that’s what they signed up for.

Really don’t get the sense of entitlement from some people on here. You applied for a job, they gave you all of the stages in a timely and professional manner and now you’re waiting for training call. I don’t know what people think is being hid from them, the government has asked for more reserves, it was in the news, there’s no space, exactly the same for ft members. I don’t know why people expect regular updates on the vetting process? It’s a pain in the €&@! For everybody since the beginning of time. If you have nothing to declare, it is completely irrelevant. They always rush the vetting if there is space open in the college. I really think anybody who canvasses the HR teams for vetting updates should be dismissed from any campaign apart from those checking that their vetting forms are complete and vetting has received them/ . It compromises the integrity of the process and is unprofessional. I mean the fact that people think HR even have tangible access to the vetting office is poor. They would have to employ somebody just to liaise with the vetting office. ( see shortage of civilians in organisation too)

There have been about 3/4 recruitment campaigns for full time, and about three classes of reserves in since that campaign. If you haven’t been able to get in that’s unfortunate. Although there’s been 800 students in this year and the classes of the reserves.

I didn’t say you’re not entitled to an opinion, I am encouraging you to have a more positive and realistic mindset. Side note most of the force in the cities are very young, senior members around 4/5 years experience.

It is concerning that both you and another commenter feel that I’m addressing 19 year olds because im sharing facts. Sounds insulting to the 19 year olds in the job.

I truly hope you're not in AGS. Very patronising behaviour.

I hear a hotel maybe used to house some new students in the garda college .

might help free up some space for ye .

love to see on this people getting called .

https://tippfm.com/news/garda-training-college-seeking-spare-rooms-for-trainees-in-templemore-area/

Back to old days, and good to see!

Host families were very common in Templemore, way back when.

One of the smallest towns in Ireland thrived back then, by hosting AGS students and providing services to the college.

Pollys, Murpyhs and Walshes ( Walshes closed down now) have hit hard times, simply due to the numbers in the college dropping

When the local MART closed down and Tipperary Crystal closed their factory a lot of people were made redundant overnight. Hundreds of locals, most of whom worked there for over 20 years and supporting their families on a single wage were just got let go.

Hosting AGS students was a massive source of income for those families to help pay the bills during that period, until it stopped!!!

The towns economy was destitute.

When it was taken away from them it was devastating.

Absolutely no ill will or offense, but how on earth can Brazilian, Pakistani and Indian people be vetted faster than an Irish person? I'm a former member who resigned less than a decade ago and my vetting isn't complete.