Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 May 1999

Vol. 504 No. 2

Written Answers. - Garda Training.

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

42 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps, if any, being taken to provide training in ethnic policing for members of the Garda in view of the increasingly multi-ethnic nature of Irish society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11536/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

As Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I am determined to ensure that every individual in this country is treated equally before the law regardless of his or her ethnic origin.

The Garda authorities are committed to ensuring that members of the Garda Síochána receive training in race relations in view of the changing nature of Irish society and that the content of this training is kept under ongoing review.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that all student and probationer gardaí receive instruction in the area of race relations as part of their two year education and training programme.

Specifically, the social studies element of the programme deals with discrimination, prejudice, stereotyping and best practice for policing interaction with ethnic minority groups. It includes a seminar on ethnicity, traveller culture and discrimination against the travelling community. Pavee Point make a presentation at this seminar. The social studies course also covers instruction in human rights conferred by the Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights and deals with policing and human rights.

The legal studies element of the training and education programme provides instruction in the relevant provisions of the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989.

As recently as last week, the Garda authorities hosted an international conference, co-funded by the EU Commission and the Government, entitled "providing a police service in a developing multi-ethnic and multi-cultural Ireland". They are to be congratulated on this early initiative and their foresight and openness in addressing this question. The Garda authorities are determined to learn from the experience of other countries in policing a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society. In particular, the training currently provided to student and probationer gardaí is to be reviewed and enhanced in the light of the outcomes of this conference.