SECOND GARDA RECRUITMENT SCHEME OPENS

JUSTICE Minister Jim O'Callaghan has announced another Garda recruitment campaign - the second this year.

- BY MICHAEL O'TOOLE Crime and Defence Editor

Some 6,700 people applied to join the force when the last campaign ran for three weeks in February and senior officers believe a similar number of people will try in the upcoming scheme, which opens tomorrow. That campaign will also run for three weeks, until October 9.

Some 423 men and women have already been attested as members of the force this year and another 148 have recently started their training programme at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary and the force now stands at around 14,400.