Minister for Justice Michael McDowell is to brief the Oireachtas Committee on Justice on the detailed proposals for a new Garda Reserve today, as part of his plan to have the first 900 members recruited to the part-time force by September.
The department has also sought tenders for a major advertising campaign to begin in August, aimed at improving the image of the Garda Síochána and at attracting recruits to the proposed reserve and the full-time force.
The campaign, which will cost more than €137,000, is required to "improve public perception of the standards and professionalism of the force [and] highlight the opportunities to become a member of the force", according to the tender documents.
Mr McDowell is expected to outline to the Dáil committee the draft regulations for the force, which include minimum fitness and educational requirements for joining and which are the same as those for full members of the Garda force.
He will then bring the regulations to Cabinet for approval next month before they can be implemented in full.
The draft regulations stipulate a "five phase" training programme, including 40 hours of practical experience on patrol and in a Garda station, with the final phase being a graduation ceremony.
Members of the reserve will have powers of arrest, which will be confined in normal circumstances to road traffic, public order, theft and fraud offences.
The regulations also stipulate that reservists must complete a minimum of 208 hours of service every year and that Garda management cannot confine reservists to crowd-control duties at large public events. Reservists will also receive an annual allowance and will be subject to a two-year probation period.
Publicans, bookmakers, court officers, prison officers and people with full-time jobs likely to pose a "conflict of interest" with Garda duties are barred from the reserve.
Mr McDowell is to be accompanied by Darrell La Fosse, an assistant commissioner in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Simon Taylor, deputy chief constable with Norfolk Constabulary, both of whom have experience in overseeing police reservists.
The committee is also to hear submissions from the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, which are both opposed to the introduction of the force.
Yesterday Mr McDowell also announced the creation of more than 500 new higher posts in the Garda Síochána, including a chief superintendent and superintendent to establish and oversee the new Garda Reserve.
The posts include six superintendents who will be allocated to the Traffic Corps. In total, the new posts include one chief superintendent, nine superintendents, 73 inspectors and 443 sergeants.