Reservists receive training in Irish law, self-defense, restraint, human rights, Garda procedures and discipline.

Reservist duties include station duty (other than care and custody of detained persons), staffing of communications rooms, foot patrolling, static security duty, event policing, preservation of crime scenes, attendance as court witnesses, and assisting at road traffic checkpoints, collisions, fires, and other occurrences.

Duties and powers assigned to reservists are commensurate with their training, and primarily involve legislation relating to road traffic,[7] public order,[8][9][10][11] drugs, theft and burglary.

[12] Additional reservist powers were announced by Alan Shatter, the previous Minister of Justice, including powers to deal with public order offences and the seizure of vehicles in accordance with Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

In 2015, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, confirmed the introduction of these powers.