Vol. 475 No. 4
228 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Justice if she will allow people who use contact lenses to apply for admission to the Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the reason such persons are not allowed to join the Garda when people with contact lenses are allowed to join police forces throughout Europe. [4861/97]
Admission to the Garda Síochána is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and is governed by the provisions of the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations, 1988. Regulation 5 (1) (b) precludes the Garda Commissioner from admitting a person as a trainee garda unless the person is certified by the surgeon of the force to be in good health, of sound constitution and fitted physically and mentally to perform the duties of a member. The surgeon of the force considers that the minimum vision standard acceptable is 6-9 in one eye and not less than 6-12 in the other eye, unaided by glasses or contact lenses, with normal colour vision.
The medical requirements for entry to the Garda Síochána are reviewed on an ongoing basis and selection procedures generally will be reviewed prior to the next Garda recruitment competition.
