Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 November 2020
108. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of members of the Traveller community that have applied to become members of An Garda Síochána; and the number of members of the Traveller community that have graduated as a member of An Garda Síochána. [34013/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources.
The Public Appointments Service (PAS) run the national competitions for Trainee Garda in An Garda Síochána on behalf of the Garda Commissioner. The Garda authorities understand that there is a section on the application form for ethnicity but that it is not compulsory to complete this section. The PAS do not as a matter of course share this information with An Garda Síochána.
I am informed that An Garda Síochána is examining ways of gathering information in relation to the diversity of their personnel on a voluntary basis and in compliance with GDPR principles.
The Programme for Government commits to increasing the diversity within An Garda Síochána, prioritising the identification and removal of barriers to recruiting and retaining people from diverse and minority backgrounds.
