Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

We will not be gender discriminatory in regard to this issue. There has been an ongoing redesign of the Garda uniform. Since I have been appointed Minister, zip-up jackets have been supplied as part of the uniform to individual members and various aspects of Garda equipment have been redesigned and modernised. It is not the case that it has been left in some frozen condition for a long time. There have been a number of changes in recent years, some of which have been modelled in public and referred to in the media.

The trend has been towards more comfortable but reasonably impressive looking attire suitable for modern use. It is difficult to remember back to the old, stiff collared tunics and so on, with which I grew up. Getting in and out of cars with such a uniform was, undoubtedly, a difficulty. The modern uniform available to members of the Garda Síochána is designed by a process which involves consultation with the affected ranks.

See this speech in context