Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020
224. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures taken to date to achieve strategic priority 3, outcome 5, of the An Garda Síochána Diversity and Integration Strategy 2019-2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10010/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Garda Diversity and Integration Strategy 2019-2021 was launched last year and includes a wide range of elements, including a working definition of hate crime and upskilling Gardaí to understand the needs of diverse communities and respond to crimes perpetrated against them. It may also be noted that the Garda Code of Ethics also commits members to opposing and challenging any behaviour or language that demonstrates discrimination or disrespect, in particular with regard to minority groups.
I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that relevant actions taken under the Strategy to date include completion by the Garda National Diversity and Integration Unit (GNDIU) of the following:
- Organisation of the annual Consultation Day in December 2019, which involved representation from a wide spectrum of our diverse and minority communities. The identification and removal of barriers to recruitment was among the issues included on the agenda and addressed.
- Organisation during 2020 of dialogue days, tailored to specific minority groups and including discussion of barriers to entry. Dialogues have been organised to date with members of the travelling community and LGBT groups. Further dialogue days with other groups were planned but had to be postponed, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These will be rescheduled when circumstances allow.
- Establishment of a Diversity Forum. The terms of reference of the Diversity Forum will include addressing the barriers to recruitment and retention as well as monitoring progress relating to strategic priority 3, outcome 5 of the Strategy. Representatives for the Forum have been identified but progress has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
More broadly, the Deputy will recall that In December 2018 the Government endorsed the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and the report is now being implemented in accordance with the targets and timelines set out in the 4-year plan "A Policing Service for the Future ".
Among the issues highlighted in the Commission's report was that An Garda Síochána should reflect the diversity of Irish society and should therefore develop recruitment strategies to achieve a more diverse intake. These recommendations echoed those of the Garda Inspectorate following their examination of entry routes into An Garda Síochána.
It is planned that these and other questions on recruitment to An Garda Síochána will be considered as part of review of entry routes to An Garda Síochána. Work is currently underway on the drafting of Terms of Reference for a Working Group which will bring this review forward, once established.
Finally, I note that increasing numbers of persons born outside the State have in recent years joined An Garda Síochána. For example, across 2019 and 2020, a total of 67 persons born outside the state, with 19 different nationalities, attested and became members of An Garda Síochána.
