Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 672: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if competency in the Irish language forms part of the eligibility criteria for entry to the Garda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10154/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Entry to the Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 1988 as amended. With regard to the educational requirement in respect of the Irish language, the minimum requirement is to have obtained a grade not lower than C3 at foundation level or a grade not lower than D3 at a level other than foundation level in the leaving certificate examination of the Department of Education and Science or the leaving certificate vocational programme examination of that Department or must have obtained at least an equivalent grade in another examination. I might direct the Deputy to regulation 5(1) of the 1988 regulations, as amended, for a more comprehensive outline of these educational requirements.

In the light of the Government's decision to approve my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000, I have asked the Garda Commissioner to review the eligibility criteria for entry to the Garda Síochána. I believe this is an opportune moment to ensure that the criteria for entry meet the needs of the Garda Síochána and the society it serves.

One particular aspect which the Commissioner has already studied is the maximum age of entry to the Garda Síochána. On foot of this the Government approved the commissioner's proposal to increase the maximum age of entry to the Garda Síochána from 26 years of age to 35 years of age. This is reflected in the most recent Garda recruitment campaign. There have been no other changes made to the eligibility criteria for entry to the Garda Síochána as far as the current competition is concerned. The educational requirements with regard to the Irish language remain in place.

However, I am of the belief that future intakes of recruits to the Garda Síochána should as far as possible reflect the composition of Irish society, and am anxious to see if there are any possible changes to the existing criteria which might facilitate recruitment from different ethnic backgrounds in our community. With this in mind I have asked the Commissioner, as part of his overall review of the entry requirements for the Garda Síochána, to examine whether any of the existing eligibility criteria militate, however indirectly, against the recruitment of members from ethnic communities in Ireland.

One of the eligibility criteria which would benefit from review in this regard is the requirement for entrants to have an educational qualification in Irish — a matter which, of course, is of particular relevance not only to potential applicants from different ethnic backgrounds but to all those who did not receive their schooling within the Irish educational system.

I should, however, add that, notwithstanding whatever new arrangements might be put in place in this regard in the future, my position is that Irish will continue to have an important place in the Garda Síochána — in line with its constitutional status as the first official language of the State — and that everyone who wishes to must be able to communicate with the force through our native language. In this regard, the Garda Síochána has a strong commitment to delivering a service through Irish. Indeed, proficiency in Irish is strongly promoted within the force, and that will continue to be the case.