11 new Gardaí to join ranks in Kildare

167 Gardaí were attested as sworn members of An Garda Síochána this morning, February 6, with a Kildare deployment breakdown of Newbridge, Kildare Town and Leixlip receiving three and Naas with two.

These newly-attested 167 members of An Garda Síochána were recruited as part of the 2024/25 recruitment campaigns.

170 trainees commenced training in Intake 252 on the June 9 of last year and have undertaken a blend of on-site learning in the Garda College, and experiential learning in training Garda stations.

The 167 newly-attested Gardaí bring to nearly 1,800 the number of Probationer Gardaí attested since recruitment recommenced in 2022 (post Covid).

Strength of An Garda Síochána (as of February 6, 2026):

• 14,564 Sworn Gardaí
• 3,692 Garda Staff
• 308 Garda Reserves
• 625 Garda Trainees*

*Ongoing recruitment: A further 410 Garda recruits (Intakes 253, 254) are currently undergoing the training programme at the Garda College.

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Kildare South Fine Gael TD and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine said of the news: “This allocation of eleven additional Gardai to Kildare will be welcomed by people across Kildare. We are unique in Ireland in having a special bond of trust amongst the public and Gardai, and this is no more evident than in Kildare, where we have been fortunate to have a dedicated cohort of Gardai and senior management.

“What Kildare communities want more than anything else is high visibility policing, and that is why the Programme for Government, which I helped to negotiate, commits to strongly strengthening An Garda Siochana’s presence in our communities.”