Vol. 478 No. 1
198 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Justice whether a person who was officially exempt from studying Irish for the leaving certificate is required to have Irish in order to be eligible as a Garda recruit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10690/97]
Recruitment to the Garda Síochána is governed by the provisions of the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations, 1988. Paragraph 5 (1) (d) of the regulations stipulates that the educational standard required is a minimum of Grade D in at least five subjects in the leaving certificate examination, including Irish, English and mathematics, or in another examination which, in the opinion of the Minister for Justice, is of a standard not lower than the standard of that examination. The regulations do not provide for any exemptions to these requirements.
