The Deputy will appreciate that the provision and allocation of resources for An Garda Síochána is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that a Uniform Committee, comprising representatives of all of the Representative Associations, Garda Human Resources and People Development, the Finance Directorate and the Health and Safety Section of An Garda Síochána has been in place since 2000. The role of this Committee is to address issues relating to the Garda uniform and the quality of same.
In summary, the Committee:
- is responsible for examining all items of Garda uniform and uniform-related equipment;
- ensures that due consideration is given to the views, recommendations and conference motions of all the Garda Associations on matters of uniform and equipment; and
- makes appropriate recommendations to the Garda Commissioner.
A number of recommendations, which take account of responses to a survey of members of An Garda Síochána, are currently under consideration in the context of the development of a Request for Tender, via the Office for Government Procurement, for the provision of uniforms to An Garda Síochána.
