Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on changes to the Irish language requirement for entry into the Garda Síochána; and the status of the rule change. [36331/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Following the Government decision to approve my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000, I asked the Garda Commissioner to review the eligibility criteria for entry to the Garda Síochána. I initially increased the maximum age of applicants from 26 to 35 in time for the recruitment competition in November 2004. That change has had a significant effect, with a significant percentage of recent recruits coming within the extended age range.

In advance of advertising the current Garda recruitment campaign, which commenced on 29 September last, I was keen to make any reasonable changes to the entry criteria that would facilitate recruitment from different ethnic backgrounds in our society. 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 my view is that this is an opportune time to ensure that the criteria for entry meet the evolving needs of the Garda Síochána and the society it serves.

For this reason I asked the Commissioner to examine whether any of the eligibility criteria militated, however indirectly, against the recruitment of members from ethnic communities in Ireland. The main issue that arose in this context was the requirement to hold an academic qualification in Irish, a matter which, of course, is of particular relevance not only to those from different ethnic backgrounds but to all those who did not receive their schooling within the Irish educational system.

Following receipt of the Commissioner's review and following consultations with my colleagues in Government, in particular the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and with the Attorney General and the Garda representative associations, I brought proposals to Government and obtained its approval for the introduction of significant changes to the criteria for entry to the Garda Síochána, as governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations. Chief among these changes is that the requirement to hold a qualification in both Irish and English in the leaving certificate or equivalent has been replaced with a requirement to hold a qualification in two languages, at least one of which must be Irish or English.

It is intended that recruits who do not have a qualification in Irish will undertake basic training in the language in the Garda College as part of their training, and the details of that language training will be finalised shortly in consultation with the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

These changes will open up entry to the Garda Síochána to persons in Ireland from all parts of the community and from all ethnic backgrounds. This is a hugely significant step which will help ensure that future intakes of recruits to the Garda Síochána reflect the composition of Irish society to the benefit of the force and the people it serves.

However, while the absolute requirement for Garda trainees to hold an academic qualification in Irish is now removed, Irish will continue to have an important place in the Garda Síochána. All Garda recruits will be required to achieve an appropriate standard in Irish before becoming full members of the force, and basic training in Irish will be given to recruits who have no qualification in the language. Everyone who wishes to must be able to communicate with the force through our native language. The Garda Síochána has a very 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.