Four times more Garda officers resigned last year, 104, compared to 2016, 24.
Sinn Féin say that this points to a retention crisis in the Force and say that Gardaí are overworked, understaffed and subject to some appalling violence.
The party’s justice spokesman, Martin Kenny, adds that the Government needs to get to grips with the issue before even more Guards resign and the staffing crisis worsens further.
The worrying news comes as new statistics last Friday revealed that attacks and assaults are on the up.
The number of cases of gardai being obstructed or assaulted increased by two per cent last year – but was up 27 per cent on 2019.
And it comes just weeks in the wake of a particularly horrific attack by thugs on a pair of Garda officers out on the beat in Ballymun, Dublin.
Sinn Féin’s Mr Kenny, who received the information through a Parliamentary Question (PQ), said that the safety of our communities is being impacted.
He said: “Considering less than 100 new Gardaí attested last year, An Garda Síochána are not even running to stand still at this point.
“The blame here should not be laid at the feet of rank-and-file Gardaí, they are not the ones causing this retention issue, but they are the ones who are so badly affected by the current work conditions that they face daily as they protect our communities.
“I have questioned the Minister repeatedly on this matter and the response is usually to ‘put these resignations in context’.
“I’m sorry to say that the context now is that resignations are continuing at an alarming rate which tells me there is a serious issue.
“And the government response to it is to stick their heads in the sand.
“Fine Gael have controlled the Department of Justice for over a decade, and have now single-handedly seen the largest increase in Garda resignations since 2016."
A spokesperson for the Justice Minister, Simon Harris, replied to the PQ: “As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for all matters relating to recruitment and personnel within An Garda Síochána.
“As Minister, I have no role in such matters.”
The Minister then provided a list of all the resignations across all Garda divisions which showed 24 resignations in 2016 had rocketed to 104 in 2022.
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