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Garda Recruitment.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2010

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Ceisteanna (286, 287, 288, 289)

Seán Connick

Ceist:

409 Deputy Seán Connick asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the maximum age for recruitment to the Garda Síochána will increase in conjunction with the increase in the entitlement age to State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12276/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

417 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether the forced retirement of members of the Garda at 60 years of age should be abolished in view of the recent decision on the retirement age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12348/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

418 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether the maximum recruitment age to the Garda Síochána of 35 years should be abolished in view of the recent decision on the retirement age; if the new retirement age of 68 years will mean that members of the Garda Síochána will now be allowed to serve a longer period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12349/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

419 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if in view of the recent decision on the retirement age he and the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána will review the ongoing current legal proceedings they have undertaken against the Equality Tribunal to try to stop the Equality Tribunal investigating alleged age discrimination in the Garda Síochána relating to the recruitment and retirement ages in the Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12350/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 and 417 to 419, inclusive, together.

Recruitment in An Garda Síochána is governed by Statutory Regulation namely, the Garda Síochána (Admission & Appointments) Regulations 1988/2005. The recruitment age was considered as recently as 2004 when, on the recommendation of the Garda Commissioner, the maximum recruitment age was increased from 26 to 35 years. This was made by Statutory Instrument 749/2004 which amended regulation 164 of 1988.

This upper age limit of 35 was set having regard to equality legislation and also took into account the following criteria:

(1) The cost of training

(2) The need for recruits to serve for a sufficient period of time as full members of the service to recoup this cost.

(3) The operational requirements of the service in terms of having an age profile appropriate to the physical demands placed on members in the course of their duty.

There are no plans to change the upper age limit for recruitment to An Garda Síochána at this time.

Retirement of members of An Garda Síochána is governed by a number of statutory regulations which have the cumulative effect of setting the standard retirement age for members at 60 years of age. The setting of this age has been found by the High Court to be objective, reasonable and justifiable taking into account the general operational requirements of the force and to be consistent with Equality legislation and EU directives on the matter. Of course members with 30 years service may retire on a full pension at any time once they reach 50 years of age for those who joined prior to 2004 and 55 years of age for those who joined since that date.

The legal proceedings referred to by the Deputy are currently before the Supreme Court and it not be appropriate to comment on them at this time.

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