In the light of the Government's recent decision to approve my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000, I have taken the opportunity to ask the Garda Commissioner to review the eligibility criteria for entry to the force. This is an opportune time to ensure that the criteria for entry meet the needs of the Garda Síochána and the society it serves.
One particular aspect which the Commissioner has already studied is the maximum age of entry to the Garda Síochána. On foot of this, the Government has now approved the Commissioner's proposal to increase the maximum age of entry to the Garda Síochána from 26 years of age to 35 years of age. This is reflected in the recruitment campaign advertised. There are no other changes to the eligibility criteria for entry to the Garda Síochána as far as the current competition is concerned. The educational requirements with regard to the Irish language remain in place.
As stated previously, it is right that future intakes of recruits to the Garda Síochána should as far as possible reflect the composition of Irish society and I am anxious to see if there are any possible changes to the existing criteria which might facilitate recruitment from different ethnic backgrounds in our community. With this in mind, I have asked the Commissioner, as part of his overall review of the entry requirements for the Garda Síochána, to examine whether any of the existing eligibility criteria militate, however indirectly, against the recruitment of members from ethnic communities in Ireland.
One of the eligibility criteria which could benefit from review in this regard is the requirement for entrants to have an educational qualification in Irish but there may be others which could impact on entrants from ethnic communities. Perhaps there may also be issues not specifically related to entry or eligibility but which might equally raise issues for certain communities. I have, therefore, asked the Commissioner to consult appropriately with representatives of the immigrant community in this regard in the context of his review of the eligibility criteria for entry to the force.
Whatever new arrangements might be put in place in respect of the Irish language specifically in the future, it will continue to have an important place in the Garda Síochána, and everyone who wishes to must be able to communicate with the force through our native language. In this regard, the Garda Síochána has a strong commitment to delivering a service through Irish. Proficiency in Irish is strongly promoted within the force and that will continue to be the case.
