Over 11,000 people have applied to join An Garda Síochána so far this year.
The latest competition, which closed on 9th October 2025, attracted 4,334 applications.
This comes after the competition held in February 2025 received more than 6,784 applications.
Of the latest applicants, 57 per cent were for applying for the first time.
The September/October competition saw continued strong interest from people over 30 with 40 per cent of applicants in this age category.
In the February campaign, it was 42 per cent.
32 per cent of people who applied were women. Currently, 30 per cent of gardaí are women.
The total number of people who described themselves as “white Irish” was 70 per cent
In 2019, the percentage of Garda recruitment applicants describing themselves as “white Irish” was 88 per cent.
Applications from categories other than “white Irish” accounted for 23 per cent of all applications.
Of the applicants, five per cent were “Asian”, two per cent were “black”, any other white – apart from white Irish were 13 per cent, and there was three per cent who identified as mixed race.
Competency-based interviews are expected to commence from late November.
Candidates successful at the selection stage will then be forwarded to An Garda Síochána to complete the appointments process which includes a physical competency test, medical examination, and substance mis-use testing.
Vetting also starts at this stage.
It is anticipated that some successful candidates from this competition will start training in the Garda College in 2026.
A number of successful candidates from the February 2025 competition are currently undergoing training in the Garda College.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said: “This number of applicants so soon after our last competition in February demonstrates there is a lot of interest in making a difference to communities by becoming a Garda.
“We can offer a varied career where no day is the same. It is not an easy job, but it is a job worth doing.
“This level of applications will give us a strong pipeline of Garda Trainees as we seek to further grow the number of Gardaí this year and in the coming years.”
