Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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480. To ask the Minister for Defence if colour blindness debars applications for the Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces; the criteria used in debarring members having regard to the fact that colour blindness does not debar admission for application to An Garda Síochána and other military forces such as the British Army and United States Army. [41571/14]

Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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481. To ask the Minister for Defence if the military authorities will accept medical tests for colour blindness other than the Ishihara test plates such as the Holmes-Wright lantern and City University vision test, having regard to the fact that An Garda Síochána accepts applicants who have failed the Ishihara test plates but passed the City University vision test. [41572/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 481 together.

Candidates applying for positions in the Defence Forces are required to meet specific medical criteria for military service. The vision standards required for entry to the Defence Forces are laid down by the Military Authorities. Under Defence Force Regulation, normal colour vision is a requirement for enlistment or commissioning into the Defence Forces, for operational and safety reasons. The Ishihara test plates are the only accepted method of screening colour vision for entry to the Defence Forces.