Vol. 430 No. 6
79 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda Síochána who are debarred from driving Garda cars, motorcycles and bicycles due to colour blindness; and if she will give details of the criteria used in debarring members having regard to the fact that insurance companies seem to have no problem with people affected by similar conditions.
The Garda Authorities inform me that 546 members of the force are not permitted to drive official Garda motor vehicles because of colour blindness. There is no such restriction in the case of bicycles. During the course of their work, Garda drivers may be expected to encounter very different driving situations from those experienced by ordinary civilian drivers. It is necessary, therefore, in the interests of safety for all concerned, to ensure that all members who drive officially have no vision defects of the type in question.
