Dáil debates

Thursday, 10 February 2005

Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage.

 

3:00 pm

Jim Glennon (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

Four and a half minutes should be sufficient for a contribution from the north side of Dublin. Like my colleagues I welcome the Bill, which represents a major step forward and is long overdue. The Minister is to be congratulated on its introduction. Whether the Bill goes far enough is another question entirely. For the requirements of the moment the Bill is to be welcomed.

The Minister will not be surprised to hear that my key issue relates to the recruitment and retirement of gardaí. We have seen significant publicity in recent years about the number of gardaí and the requirement for additional recruits. I congratulate the Minister on his recent initiative in extending the recruitment age limit from 26 to 35, which in time will prove to be a major step forward, allowing a whole new age cohort to be eligible for recruitment to the Garda. It reflects the times in which we live. Mobility of the workforce in geographical and professional terms is a hallmark of the current era. I received a number of representations from individuals who discovered relatively late in life, at least in terms of choice of profession, that they genuinely believed they wanted a career in the police force. It is interesting and hardly totally coincidental that this year in excess of 10,000 people applied for 2,000 places. On the contrary it is reflective of the change in the recruitment age limit.

However, in line with the change in the recruitment age limit, I draw attention to the stipulations on retirement age. It is a pity that we lose a number of highly qualified and very valuable members of the force at the age of 50. I understand the issues regarding the rules that pertained at the time of recruitment. I am thinking of a Garda sergeant in my locality who has a wealth of local knowledge and genuine policing expertise to contribute to the force. He felt obliged to retire when he became eligible at the age of 50 to pursue another interest because he knew he would be obliged to retire at the age of 57.

Change in this matter should be considered, as it would have benefits not only for the force, but also for society in general. While it may be some time before the benefits accruing from any change to the retirement rules accrue, it can be addressed to the benefit of the community, the force and particularly individual gardaí. People with approximately 15 years good working life ahead of them should not be compelled to retire from their chosen profession because of the rules under which they were recruited. While it may be understandable in the circumstances and particularly in the context of the evolution of the Garda Síochána over the years, nevertheless this topic could be addressed with benefit all around.

The Garda has given outstanding service to the State over the years. I do not feel qualified to comment on its contribution to the State. The phenomenon of violence against gardaí and fatal incidents in particular has only occurred in my adult lifetime. In 1970 Garda Richard Fallon was murdered when he answered an emergency call in response to a bank raid at the Royal Bank on Arran Quay. This incident had a huge impact on me at the time and listening to a radio interview last weekend with the son of Garda Richard Fallon it would appear that some issues remain outstanding. In deference to the force and its morale, and in the interests of society at large, if issues need to be addressed, however uncomfortable it may be politically, they should be addressed. The vast majority of people remember the sacrifice made by Garda Richard Fallon. If issues remain outstanding they should be addressed for the sake of his family.

Unfortunately he was the first of a number of gardaí to give their lives in the service of the State and the force over the period of what we euphemistically call "the Troubles". Some considerable time has now elapsed since the murder of a garda in the course of his duty. The incident resulting in the murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe and the injuring of Detective Garda Ben O'Sullivan has been well rehearsed in this House and I will not go into it further.

The Garda has been of indescribable benefit to the State. It probably owes its genesis to Sir Robert Peel in Britain. I doubt if Sir Robert Peel had current lifestyles in mind when he founded the British police force. The founders of our police force could not have anticipated what the present force needs to deal with. The Bill is extremely welcome and goes a long way towards addressing the issues that arise. The issue of policing on the street and in terms of white-collar crime needs to be addressed. I look forward to a further debate on the matter.

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