Eight new Gardaí deployed to Limerick as force reaches record size

The Garda Síochána has deployed eight new probationary Gardaí to Limerick city, bringing the national force to its highest ever strength.

Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea welcomed the allocation to Henry Street Garda Station, saying the additional personnel will strengthen frontline policing and help keep local communities safe.

The eight recruits join 207 probationers who were recently attested at the Garda College in Templemore, raising the total number of Gardaí to 14,980. Deployments this week also include 84 new recruits to the Dublin Metropolitan Region, 76 to the Eastern Region, 27 to the North‑Western Region and 20 to the Southern Region.

O’Dea highlighted the importance of high‑visibility policing, noting that it supports crime prevention, victim assistance and community reassurance, and praised the work of Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan in delivering these results.

Despite recent controversies involving whistleblower treatment and concerns over firearm storage and holsters, the government has earmarked more than €2.75 billion in Budget 2027 for continued Garda recruitment and staffing.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly recently told the Public Accounts Committee that a €20 million overspend on ICT was considered good value and expressed a desire to invest further in the systems.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Onur / Pexels.