As part of his Budget 2015 speech to the Dáil today, Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin announced the end of the moratorium on recruitment (in the public service).
He announced an investment of €2.2bn for the Department of Justice, some of which will be spent on the recruitment of 200 new gardaí, and the filling of 1,700 additional full-time posts in schools - 920 new teachers, 480 resource teachers and 365 special needs assistants.
"This marks the end of the moratorium on recruitment (in the public service)," he said, "but in a targeted and focused way."
Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald said 200 new garda recruits would start their training in Garda College Templemore.
€10m has also been secured for more than 400 new Garda vehicles.
The Minister said the increased investment in An Garda Síochána marked "a positive step forward for policing in Ireland".
She said new vehicles and ongoing recruitment would help ensure "a strong, visible policing deterrent in communities right across the country, helping to reduce crime".