Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

To be honest, I do not know the answer to Deputy Timmins's question. I do not know why women do not see it as the job for them. Traditionally, that has been the case, and fortunately we are trying to change that. I take the Deputy's point about height. As he knows, the Garda Síochána has got rid of the height requirement and instead introduced one for physical fitness. To the best of my knowledge, that has been the case for the last few years. I have asked the military about this. I believe that the United States has a lower limit of 4 ft. 10 in. and Australia 5 ft.

There was a time in Ireland when the lower limit for male recruits was under 5 ft. I have asked the Army about that. One of the problems is health and safety. The Army received medical advice that females in particular, but also men under a certain height, because of some of the gear that they have to wear, especially when abroad, are more likely to be damaged by the physical activity in which they are forced to engage as part of their duties in the Army. That is being kept under constant review, and I have asked the military to report to me on it.

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