Anger at Garda Irish-language relaxation
A senior member of the state Gaeltacht agency tonight urged the Government not to relax the Irish-language requirement for joining the Garda.
Under proposed new rules, non-national recruits will be allowed to learn Irish during their two-year training course instead of having it at the time of joining.
The regional chairman of Údarás na Gaeltachta in Donegal, Brian Ó Dómhnaill, said the plans were an insult to native speakers.
“My offices have been hopping with calls over the last 24 hours. People are going mad,” he said.
Mr O’Domhnaill, who is also a Fianna Fáil councillor, said most of the callers could not understand how the Government could consider abolishing the Irish-language requirement when it had campaigned for Irish to be recognised as an EU language.
“They see that as a total waste of time if these proposals went ahead,” he said.
Mr O’Domhnaill suggested that non-nationals who wished to join the Garda could attend Irish courses to achieve the necessary standard.
“I am not opposed to new inhabitants on this island. However, I am opposed to changing laws that discriminate against our own people.”
The Garda is planning to recruit 1,100 new members per year to bring the total strength of the force to 14,000 by 2007.
The plans to relax the Irish-language requirement for entry to the force will be brought to Cabinet next month.
They have been supported by the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) and the two main Garda unions, the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Sergeants.
An information campaign will be launched next month to alert ethnic minorities to the new entry requirements.
