Garda Inspector Promotion study guide
Garda Inspector Promotion · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Inspector Promotion Examination is the competitive selection stage An Garda Síochána uses when filling inspector posts. It is aimed at sergeants who already hold a supervisory role and want to move into middle management, where the job shifts from running a shift to owning risk, resources and results across a district or specialist unit. The Garda Inspector Promotion study guide has 11 sections and about 3,247 words.
01Mission, Values and the Code of Ethics
This domain tests whether you can link An Garda Síochána's mission to the ethical standards expected of every member, rather than simply recite slogans. The mission is commonly expressed as Keeping People Safe , and the Code of Ethics (2017) is the central statement of expected behaviour.
287 words, about 1 min02Criminal Law, Procedure and Evidence
This domain tests your grasp of the legal building blocks of a prosecution: the offence, the power used, the custody process and the evidence that proves the case. Irish criminal law comes from statute, common law and the Constitution, and procedure is governed heavily by the Criminal Law Act 1997, the Criminal Justice Act 1984 and the Treatment of Persons in Custody Regulations.
330 words, about 2 min03Roads Policing, Road Traffic Law and Collision Investigation
This domain tests the road traffic offences you will meet daily, the powers that support enforcement, and the first-response discipline needed at a collision. The principal statutes are the Road Traffic Act 1961 and the Road Traffic Act 2010, supplemented by fixed-charge and penalty-point systems.
306 words, about 2 min04Operational Policing, Public Order and Incident Command
This domain tests your ability to police gatherings and incidents lawfully, proportionately and under command. Public order law is principally the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, as amended.
290 words, about 1 min05Investigations, Serious Crime and Case Management
This domain tests how you run an investigation from first report to file, including serious crime. The exam expects knowledge of the Senior Investigating Officer model, the golden hour, forensic preservation, disclosure and victim obligations under the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017.
302 words, about 2 min06Supervision, Leadership and People Management
This domain tests how a supervisor gets work done through others while maintaining standards, welfare and trust. It covers tasking and briefing, performance conversations, discipline, grievance, welfare and the supervisor's own example.
266 words, about 1 min07Decision-Making, Judgment and Critical Incident Management
This domain tests how you make defensible decisions under pressure and how you fit into command at a critical incident. The exam looks for structured reasoning, awareness of powers and ethics, and clear recording.
294 words, about 1 min08Communication, Engagement and Partnership with Communities and Stakeholders
This domain tests how you build trust and co-produce safety with communities and partner agencies rather than treating engagement as publicity. It covers community policing, Joint Policing Committees, Local Community Safety Partnerships, victim engagement and inter-agency work.
284 words, about 1 min09Garda Organisation, Governance, Accountability and Oversight
This domain tests who does what in the governance of An Garda Síochána and how accountability works without political interference in operations. The core statute is the Garda Síochána Act 2005, with major changes introduced by the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
283 words, about 1 min10Information Management, Data Protection and Use of Technology
This domain tests whether you can use Garda systems lawfully and explain data protection in a policing context. The GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Law Enforcement Directive (Part 5 of the 2018 Act) are central.
301 words, about 2 min11Health, Safety and Welfare in Policing
This domain tests how you manage physical and psychological risk to members and colleagues. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 imposes duties on employers and employees; Garda policy adds risk assessment, PPE, welfare support and critical incident response.
304 words, about 2 min