The Gardai are set to honour 100 youth heroes who have helped to make their communities a better place.
The first ever Garda National Youth Awards will next month honour the winners of the new scheme.
The Awards were announced today by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and former Garda Divisional Youth Award winner and leading amateur boxer Christina Desmond.
Christina is also a newly qualified Garda based in Dungarven, Co Waterford.
Commissioner Harris said: "The inaugural Garda National Youth Awards will be a showcase for the positive contribution young people are making in their communities. The awards at national and divisional level are a great way for Gardaí to develop strong relationships with community groups and young people in their area.”
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Christina Desmond said she won an award as a youngster and it pushed her to consider helping her community.
Christina said: "I won a divisional youth award in West Cork in 2013. It was great to receive such recognition at a young age.
"I had always wanted to be a Garda, but after seeing my local community Gardaí in action at the youth awards, I definitely knew it was for me. The youth awards enables Gardaí to engage with young people, their families and the local community in such a positive way.”
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The National Awards winners will be selected from the winners of the Divisional Garda Youth Awards. This year, 20 Garda Divisions held awards, which is the largest number ever.
The National Awards will be awarded at a ceremony in Portlaoise on 27 April 2019.
Qualifying candidates for the National Awards in certain categories of Divisional Garda Youth Awards will be eligible for nomination by each Division. The Divisional Garda Youth Awards are open to young people aged between 13 and 21 years.
