Garda recruitment competition launched at National Ploughing Championships this Thursday

National Ploughing Championships 2025

At today’s National Ploughing Championship, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan TD and An Garda Síochána Commissioner Justin Kelly, announced a fresh recruitment drive for An Garda Síochána.

The latest Garda recruitment competition will open on Thursday 18th September 2025 and will run until 3pm on Thursday 9th October 2025.

The competition will be conducted by publicjobs on behalf of An Garda Síochána. Candidates can apply here.

Prospective candidates are being urged to consider the variety of roles that can be pursued within An Garda Síochána and the active nature of the role that means post holders are not typically desk-based and get to work on their fitness as part of the job.

The costs of training to become a member of An Garda Síochána compares favourably with the costs of third level education. Garda Trainees are paid €354 per week for the 36 weeks of training in the Garda College and graduate with a Level 7 Bachelor of Arts Degree in Applied Policing accredited by the University of Limerick. Food and accommodation is provided free while resident in the Garda College.

Those who successfully complete their training come out to a guaranteed, full-time public-service pensionable job, where they start on a salary of €38,694 which rises incrementally. Garda Trainees will be assigned to work the core shift roster (12 hours) which attracts additional allowances, and will have the opportunity to work on overtime.

An Garda Síochána needs a diverse workforce that reflects the country’s population, and encourages applicants aged between 18 - 49 from all backgrounds to apply.

At the most recent attestation of Garda Trainees, 26 of the 154 that attested were born outside the state including Belarus, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, and Romania.

In addition, the competition is open to people up to the age of 50. In the last recruitment competition which took place in February 2025, forty two per cent of applicants were aged 30 and over.

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan TD said:

"As Minister my first priority is to get more Gardaí on our streets. The Programme for Government commits to recruiting at least 5,000 Gardaí in the coming five years, and the launch of a second recruitment campaign this year reflects that commitment.

"This campaign will ensure that the pipeline of new Gardaí remains strong and ensure our communities are safe and feel safe. I want to encourage people to consider a career in An Garda Síochána – it is not an easy job, but it is very much a job worth doing.”

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said that:

"I’m delighted to formally announce our latest Garda Trainee Campaign, which will go live on Thursday 18th of September. It follows on from our February Garda Trainee campaign which saw more than 6,700 individuals apply, and will help secure a future pipeline of Garda Trainees.

"As an organisation we are growing, but we recognise that to meet the demands of a growing and diverse society we need to build in greater resilience. Our current strength stands at approximately 14,400 which will be further bolstered by another cohort of trainees due to graduate in November.

"This campaign aims to build on the progress made to date.

"What we have consistently seen through the recruitment process is that An Garda Síochána is still proving an attractive career choice to many.

Speaking from my own experience, I believe strongly that very few other jobs provide the same opportunities or variety in terms of a career. The work does test you at times, but it is honourable work, it is work with real purpose and meaning.

It is a job that contributes to society and the work has a lasting impact upon people. It is true to say it is a tough job, sometimes dangerous, and challenging, but ultimately it is rewarding and certainly a job worth doing.”