Pride and dedication was strongly emphasised by Acting Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin at Fridays passing out ceremony of 206 new gardaí into the An Garda Síochána.
The latest intake of gardaí are part of the Government’s commitment to an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 including 15,000 Garda members. In total 800 Garda trainees are scheduled to attest during the year with Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.
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The gardaí paraded in various formations to the tune of the Garda Band and before Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin and other senior garda officers. Speaking to the newly recruited gardaí, the Acting Commissioner said ‘Today is an important day for An Garda Síochána because we get to welcome over new members into the organisation. Senior garda management are committed to providing you with the tools you need to do your job in an efficient and effective way.’
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Community engagement and personal dedication was emphasised throughout the Commissioners speech and efforts by gardaí during the recent severe weather was also commended. ‘The one thing that came from ‘Storm Emma’ was seeing the communities pull together for the common good, and right in the middle of all that were the men and women of An Garda Síochána, whether it was transporting sick to hospital, delivering urgent medical supplies, making sure meals on wheels were delivered or even calling into people in isolated areas who were cut off from their neighbours, this was done by An Garda Síochána at all hours of the day and night in very challenging conditions.’
‘None of our colleagues did this for the limelight or because they were ordered to, they did it out of a sense of dedication to serving the communities to which they work and live. That is what our communities expect of us and deserve from us. That is how we have built up the trust of the people of Ireland over the generations and we cannot afford to lose that trust.’
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Acting Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin said that level of trust and dedication was expected from the new gardaí, a dedication of protecting and supporting the communities they serve, a dedication to duty and upholding the law in line with the Oath which each garda took on the day.
The Garda Modernisation Programme was also mentioned to the gardaí when the commissioner stated that senior garda management were dedicated to doing all they can to support gardaí with the tools and resources that are required for gardaí to do their jobs in an efficient and effective way. ‘An Garda Síochána is also dedicated to change, a change which is clearly spelt out in the modernisation programme. Dedication to becoming amore modern police and security service that meets the needs of modern day society, ensuring that we are accountable to all our stakeholders and accountable to each other from the top down, botton up, within the organisation.’
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The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan T.D was unable to attend the ceremony as he was on official commitments oversees in connection with St. Patrick’s Day, however, a statement by the Department of Justice said Minister Flanagan welcomed the addition of 206 new members to An Garda Síochána today following their attestation as members at a ceremony in the Garda College, Templemore. “Today is a proud day for the new members and their families and friends and an important day for the State. It is heartening to see 206 people of such diverse experience answer the call to public service to support the mission of An Garda Síochána to protect and serve.”
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Minister Flanagan wished each new garda a long and rewarding policing career in An Garda Síochána and urge them to remember always that their core role is to serve the community and to do so with dedication and with honour.
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