Country Statistics

• Population: 2023 – 5.3 Million
• Size: 27,132 Square Miles
• Language: Official – English / Used by an estimated 45% of the population – Irish Gaelic
• Government: Parliamentary Republic

The closest US State in size to the Republic of Ireland is South Carolina which is 32,020 Square Miles. South Carolina has an estimated 2023 population of 5.18 Million

Police Statistics

• Type: National
• Name: An Garda Siochana
• Sworn: 14,695
• Sworn Women; 3,374 – 22.9%
• Annual Budget: 2024 – 2.01 Billion €
• Commissioner: Drew Harris since September 2018
• Established: February 22, 1922
• INTERPOL: Joined August 1947
• Website: garda.ie

‘Garda’ Uniform Patrol Officers are not authorized to carry Side-Arms. The ‘Garda” has specialty Units and Certain Investigators that are authorized in certain situations.

Organized Crime in the Republic of Ireland

Two organized crime gangs have dominated criminal activity in the Republic of Ireland, mainly the Dublin Metro Area, since the Kinahan Organized Crime Gang appeared in the early 1990s. The other organized crime gang, the Hutch Gang, was organized in the mid-1980s and had little competition until the Kinahans appeared. Both Gangs have and still are dealing in typical criminal activity, i.e., Drugs – Prostitution – Street Terrorism, and now Cyber Crime. Even though their criminal activity has been sharply reduced in the last two years by aggressive enforcement by the Garda, they are still a consistent threat to law and order in the country.

First Woman Garda

The Garda did not recruit or hire a Woman Officer until 1959. In July 1959, twelve women graduated and were officially made members of the Garda. They were called Bhan Gardai. The first female Officer and holder of the 1W number is Mary Browne. MS Browne was first assigned to the Pearse Station and worked in Patrol. She would retire as a Seargent and marry a fellow Garda member, Noel Gilmartin. In a statement to the online Anglo-Celt Publication, Wednesday, June 29, 2011 (5:11 pm), she said she became interested in police work by watching the American TV Show “Perry Mason.”

Confidence In Garda Policing

In nearly all Western style Democracies and Republics, confidence in Law Enforcement is low. Confidence is trending back up, but there are ways to go. In the Republic of Ireland, there is no trend. Confidence remains high. It may remain high for three reasons, i.e., The Roman Catholic Church, Populas, & General Nature of Society. > The Church has been a steady influence in developing the “Garda” since the Country’s founding in 1922. > The Country is still primarily homogenous. With the infusions of competing cultures, there are always problems, such as one culture policing another. > The Country started as predominately Rural, with all citizens knowing who the Garda was on duty. They were family.