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THE GARDA REPRESENTATIVE Association has called for a review into An Garda Síochána’s uniform and dress code after three trainees were sent home from the Garda College in Templemore for having tattoos.
In a statement to The Journal, a garda spokesperson confirmed that a “number of Garda recruits have had their positions deferred pending their compliance with the Uniform and Dress Code within An Garda Síochána”.
“An Garda Síochána Uniform and Dress Code is published on the Garda website and details provided in the Recruitment Candidate Information Booklet,” added the spokesperson.
The uniform and dress code states that “tattoos on the face, or visible above the collar, are not permitted”.
It adds: “All other tattoos will be covered at all times while on duty, whether in uniform or plain clothes.”
The three trainees that were sent home from the Co Tipperary Garda College were part of 175 recruits that had arrived for induction two weeks ago.
Brendan O’Connor, president of the Garda Representative Association, told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that the move is an “ultra-conservative view of something that is very much the norm”.
The three recruits have reportedly been told to get the tattoos removed if they wish to re-enlist in the Garda College.
“There is a set of guidelines there and whether they adhere to them or not, I’m not exactly sure,” said O’Connor.
However, he added: “We’re talking here, in relation to one case, small and discreet tattoos behind the ear of a star.
“So it certainly can be concealed with makeup, if it is the case that it has to be concealed.
“It does seem that perhaps this policy is slightly out of step and is robbing the organisation of three people with the potential to be excellent guards.
“We’re in a recruitment and retention crisis, it’s hard to get people processed through the recruitment and selection procedure.
“We get them into Templemore, and then they have to leave because of something that does seem to be slightly judgmental in its approach.”
“It is going to be difficult I think to reach that 1,000 target but we are not departing from it, certainly not yet,” said Varadkar.
“We’re looking to broaden the scope of our recruits,” said O’Connor, “so why are we shutting off this, it doesn’t really make any sense.
“We’re talking about discreet, non-offensive (tattoos).
“Body art is part of the modern culture and it shouldn’t exclude someone from becoming a guard”.
While O’Connor said policies have to be in place, he called for policies that are “more agile and more reflective of the wider social values of our very modern, tolerant and inclusive society”.
“That’s what should be reflected in An Garda Síochána and not the conservatism of previous generations of police rules and codes of behaviour,” said O’Connor, who also called for a review of the dress and uniform code.
“Times change, values change, so maybe this is a little bit conservative.
“It would seem that at a time when An Garda Síochána is saying we need to reach out beyond where we traditionally have looked for recruits, and we need to be more imaginative and more inclusive and more diverse… that someone who chooses to have something which is a very socially acceptable thing would be excluded from the training programme does seem to raise some questions.”
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Think I would have preferred the bus station!
That’s all very well, but we still need a provincial bus station that isn’t a godforsaken, overcrowded helhole where buses double-park outside during the evening rush (they used to triple-park until the Luas stop got in the way) , the underground toilets are downright scary and many routes have had their Dublin terminus banished to stops on the quays that don’t even have shelters.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: spot on Neil
Instead, we got an overpriced kip, that cheats tourists out of their money. Located in an area similar to Ibiza after 12am.
@Stuart Dickens:
I understand 12 midday and 12 midnight. Please explain what is 12am.
@Donal Hanley: 12am is the same as 12pm, ambiguous as hell! When I worked security, we were trained to record 12 midnight as either 1159 on (say) Tuesday , or 1201 on Wednesday.
@Grotmaster:
Sorry Grotmaster. There is nothing ambiguous about midday and midnight. They are very precise. As to your checking in to work, that may have been due to a computer programme.
@Donal Hanley: 12:00 am is midnight :)
Its the pimple on the face of Dublin. Over priced and filthy. I stay well clear of it when im in town.
@RobbieL: maybe I am cynical but perhaps a large brown envelope exchanged hands for this to become a tourist trap instead of a bus station? Is it traditional to exchange such gifts to needy developers bearing in mind the Godawful architectural crimes on the skyline of Dublin in the recent past? Perhaps I am getting a bit paranoid?
All I’m reading is that the government failed to implement another public transportation scheme…. Pretty much the usual outcome. Who needs public infrastructure that meets demand anyways?
Probably better than an overpriced tourist trap where hardly any Dubs frequent
Temple Bar is a great source of income to the state and it contains the problem of drunken tourists in one small area making it easier to police and easier to avoid.
@Brian O Reilly: its a dump
It’s not. In the 80s it was a dump. Weeds growing out of chimneys on the point of collapsing into the streets. Squatters and glue-sniffers. A law was brought in to either repair your neglected building or sell it. Then it was transformed into a lively, clean area with good affordable restaurants and a historical trail. The EU funded part of that. It was fun to visit. But after that, the boom hit parts of Ireland, and the first million Euro apartments went in there. And it’s anyone’s guess why there is still no investment in an underground rail tunnel.
Rip off KIP.
We give out about bureacracy and the time it takes to get planning in ireland but maybe this saved dublin from turning into an eastern bloc city full of concrete. However the irish countryside has been pock marked with many ugly houses and warehouses that should have been built in industrial areas of towns and cities like most other countries.
The cheapest bus fare would have been a tenner, and late night fares would have cost fifteen euro.
Temple bar is just a large outdoor urinal and a vomit pit id have prefered a bus station
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