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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Jan 2000

Vol. 513 No. 1

Written Answers. - Garda Training.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

673 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the inservice training on policing in a multi-ethnic society being given to gardaí at all levels; the number of complaints made to the Garda Complaints Board between January 1997 and December 1999 which concerned ethnic or racial issues; if a Garda liaison officer has been appointed to Dublin Garda stations to liaise with refugees and immigrant communities; if so, if he will give details of these officers; the specific training, if any, they have received to equip them for their role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1649/00]

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 – for recruits and serving members – 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 Garda Síochána Human Rights Initiative 1999-2000 "Policing and Human Rights: Promoting Best Practice" has as one of its core tasks the further development of human rights training at all levels within the organisation, including human rights training in the context of policing in a multi-ethnic society.

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, and other relevant legislation.

During the final phase of training for Garda recruits members from the Garda Síochána community relations section attend at the Garda College to conduct a seminar at which issues concerning policing in a diverse and pluralist society are explored.

Similar training is provided at the Garda College for Garda supervisors and managers and designated Garda immigration officers deployed at ports of entry to the State. Inservice training schools throughout the country also provide training in policing in a multi-ethnic society.

In April 1999 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 being reviewed and enhanced in the light of the outcomes of this conference. In fact, I am informed by the Garda authorities that a working group has been established to review all aspects of Garda training in this area and to develop best practices in the light of ongoing changes in the policing environment. The group has an ambitious work programme and its activities are ongoing.
A follow-up conference is planned for this year. Entitled Intercultural Ireland – Identifying the Policing Challenges, it will be co-hosted by the Garda Síochána, my Department and the EU Commission.
There are no Garda liaison officers assigned to Dublin Garda stations to liaise with refugees and immigrant communities. However, the Garda authorities are committed, via community policing arrangements in particular, to the development of partnership with local communities, including local communities where refugees and immigrants are resident, and Garda structures for dealing with specific policing issues are kept under ongoing review.
I understand that the Garda Complaints Board does not categorise or classify complaints in a manner that would make it possible to determine the proportion, if any, relating to ethnic or racial issues.
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