Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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108. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of members of the Traveller community that have applied to become members of An Garda Síochána; and the number of members of the Traveller community that have graduated as a member of An Garda Síochána. [34013/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources.

The Public Appointments Service (PAS) run the national competitions for Trainee Garda in An Garda Síochána on behalf of the Garda Commissioner. The Garda authorities understand that there is a section on the application form for ethnicity but that it is not compulsory to complete this section. The PAS do not as a matter of course share this information with An Garda Síochána.

I am informed that An Garda Síochána is examining ways of gathering information in relation to the diversity of their personnel on a voluntary basis and in compliance with GDPR principles.

The Programme for Government commits to increasing the diversity within An Garda Síochána, prioritising the identification and removal of barriers to recruiting and retaining people from diverse and minority backgrounds.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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109. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the Shelta or Cant language can meet the requirement of a second language within the Garda recruitment application process in circumstances in which a person is applying to become a member of An Garda Síochána has an exemption in the secondary school system from other languages except English. [34014/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy may be aware that entry to An Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions & Appointments) Regulations, 2013 and Statutory Instrument 470/2013. There are no exemptions granted in relation to any of the regulations contained therein.

Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, a person is eligible to apply for admission as a trainee where, on the closing date specified in the advertisement for the competition for the vacancy to which the admission relates, -

(c) He or she has obtained (i) a grade of not less than D3 in 5 subjects at not lower than ordinary level in the Leaving Certificate Examination,

(ii) a Level 5 Certificate (Major Award) or greater that is recognised within the National Framework of Qualifications, or

(iii) such other qualification that, in the opinion of Quality and Qualifications Ireland, is of a standard in terms of both level and volume of learning that is not lower than the standard of those qualifications specified at subparagraphs (i) and (ii), and (d) he or she has proven proficiency in 2 languages, one of which shall be either English or Irish, which may be proven- (i) by the grades or qualifications specified at paragraph (c ) or,

(ii) in relation to Irish or English only, by undergoing such assessment or assessments as the Public Appointments Service shall determine.

The Public Appointments Service may verify the validity of qualifications other than the Leaving Certificate with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

The Deputy may wish to note that an Expert Review Group has been established to examine the issue of Garda Recruitment, Entry Pathways and Recruit Education. This is a commitment under A Policing Service for the Future, the Government’s Implementation Plan for the recommendations in the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. The Group will examine a variety of matters including the entry requirements for recruitment to An Garda Síochána. The Group operates in an advisory capacity and will submit a report to the Garda Commissioner within 12 months.