SF slams move to relax Garda language requirement
Proposals to abandon the Irish language requirement for Garda recruits were severely criticised today.
As part of plans to take on 1,100 gardaí a year, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said he would examine entrance criteria including the language requirement in order to attract more immigrants.
He claimed a demand for proficiency in the Irish language could be seen as “practical discrimination”.
But Sinn Féin described the proposal as “an insult to Irish language speakers” and called for it to be dropped immediately.
Donegal councillor Pearse Doherty said: “The potential increase in the number of gardaí on our streets is to be welcomed.
“However, reports that the minister is to abandon the Irish language requirement for membership of the Garda Siochana is an insult to the tens of thousands of people for whom Irish is their first language.”
Mr Doherty quoted Article 8 (1) of the constitution which states that Irish is the State’s first official language.
“The Department of Justice has consistently acted in deliberate breach of this provision and if they go ahead with this hair-brained proposal the result is that members of the gardaí will be unable to work effectively in many communities across this state,” he added.
“Instead of dropping this requirement the Department should be providing widespread Irish language training and ensuring that gardai are capable of communicating and working effectively with all those who speak Irish.”
A spokeswoman from the Department of Justice said the minister was considering a relaxation of the rules to achieve a force more representative of a multi-cultural society.
She said that to say the force was open to everybody, when those raised outside Ireland would not have been taught Irish, was unfair.
Meanwhile, Jim Glennon TD urged Mr McDowell to scrap the age limit for applications completely, describing it as a “blatant discrimination”.
“I am disappointed action has still not been taken on the archaic and discriminatory regulation stating an applicant to the force must be under 26 years of age,” he said.
“This rule is outdated and totally unnecessary. The minister has vowed to ‘review the criteria for eligibility’ but this is simply not good enough.”
Any changes will be based on a report due to be published in the coming weeks.
