Written answers

Wednesday, 25 January 2006

Department of Defence

Defence Forces Reserve

8:00 pm

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1409: To ask the Minister for Defence if a member of the Reserve Defence Forces is permitted to also be a member of the Garda Síochána; if not, the reason same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40344/05]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Defence Forces regulation R5, paragraph 6(g), prescribes that a member of the Garda Síochána shall be ineligible for enlistment in the Reserve Defence Force. This would also apply to members of the Garda Síochána wishing to apply for appointment as officers of the Defence Forces Reserve. Conversely an enlisted member of the Defence Forces Reserve who wishes to join the Garda Síochána must be discharged from the Defence Forces Reserve before joining the Garda Síochána. an officer of the Defence Forces Reserve would have to relinquish his or her commission in order to join the Garda Síochána having particular regard to section 86 of the Defence Acts 1954 to 1998, where an officer shall be liable to be called out, as may be directed by the Minister, on permanent service.

The rationale behind the policy of precluding dual membership of the Defence Forces Reserve and the Garda Síochána is that membership of the Defence Forces Reserve renders an individual potentially liable to be called up for permanent service at any time. This condition of membership of the Defence Forces Reserve would conflict with similar requirements attaching to membership of the Garda Síochána, members of which are also liable for duty at all times.

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