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Minister McEntee encourages people to think about career in An Garda Síochána ahead of new recruitment campaign.
- Minister asks people in new Irish and minority communities to apply
- New regulations remove requirement for applicants to be proficient in two languages
- New Irish language strategy to be launched by An Garda Síochána
- Vital that An Garda Síochána represents the Ireland of today
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, has today urged people, especially those in minority and new Irish communities, to consider a career in An Garda Síochána ahead of a new recruitment campaign opening early in the New Year.
In line with the Government’s commitment to strengthen and support An Garda Síochána as it protects and serves our communities, a new Garda Trainee Recruitment campaign is due to commence early in 2022.
The last recruitment competition was held in early 2019. Successful applicants are placed on a panel from which they are drawn by An Garda Síochána for training when required by the Garda Commissioner.
The Government has next year committed to the recruitment of 800 extra Gardaí and 400 Garda staff and is dedicated to increasing diversity within An Garda Síochána.
Minister McEntee today urged people, particularly those from new Irish and minority communities, to think over the Christmas break about applying to become a member of An Garda Síochána.
Minister McEntee said:
“As Minister for Justice, protecting communities and supporting victims is my absolute priority, and the Government’s support for An Garda Síochána reflects that commitment.
The greatest strength of An Garda Síochána is its bond with the communities it serves. Our own national life has been greatly enriched by so many new communities of different origin in recent decades.
But significant work is still required across the public sector – not least the justice sector – to make sure our new and minority communities are better represented, as well as to improve gender equality.
I want everyone in our society, such as our African-Irish and Traveller communities, to see members of their own communities serving in An Garda Síochána.
I know Commissioner Harris and all members of An Garda Síochána are dedicated to increasing diversity within the organisation. I have discussed this with the Commissioner and I am very pleased that a vigorous campaign will be launched by An Garda Síochána to encourage as many people as possible to apply.
Our new recruitment campaign provides a great opportunity to increase diversity within the service and I urge people from these communities to seriously think over Christmas about applying in the New Year.”
The Commission on the future of Policing in Ireland noted that diversity is a vital asset to any organisation that seeks to be innovative and adaptable.
The Minister made her comments after she received Cabinet approval this week for new regulations which will allow An Garda Síochána hold the new recruitment competition.
These new Regulations, amending the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013, will allow for a broader appeal for service with An Garda Síochána to reflect the increasing diversity of Irish Society.
In addition to technical amendments required to reflect changes in legislation from the Refugee Act 1996 to the International Protections Act 2015, the requirement for applicants to be proficient in two languages, one of which must be English or Irish, is also being changed.
As currently worded, the requirement for proficiency in two languages is acting as a barrier to more diverse recruitment.
Under the amended regulations, proficiency will only be required in one language – which can be English or Irish. This will remove any potential disadvantage for people not born in Ireland who do not have any experience with the Irish language.
An Garda Síochána remains committed to the Irish language and studies in the Irish language will remain part of the Policing BA. A new Irish Language Strategy has been developed by An Garda Síochána and will be launched early in 2022. The Strategy aims to strengthen Irish language services within An Garda Síochána and ensure compliance with statutory language obligations.
The Minister continued,
“I want these new regulations to send out a message and to encourage interest from all communities across Ireland in a career with An Garda Síochána. Of course, An Garda Síochána remains committed to the Irish language and I look forward to its new strategy.
I would also take this opportunity to encourage more women to apply for a career in An Garda Síochána.
In recent years we have made great strides to address the gender imbalance in An Garda Síochána, especially at the most senior levels, but I want to see more women entering the service, as I know they are fully capable and can make such a difference to their local community“.
An Garda Síochána are working to produce a combined internal and external Equality, Diversity and Integration Strategy in early 2022.
Minister McEntee concluded,
“I welcome the many diversity initiatives being actively pursued by An Garda Síochána. The Intern Programme for Garda Staff, which aims to promote a career in An Garda Síochána among young people from communities traditionally underrepresented in the organisation by offering the opportunity of an internship, commenced on 30 November with the first 26 interns.
I am confident that this scheme will be a huge success and will demonstrate to all communities that there is a place for them in An Garda Síochána.”
A Garda and Immigration Bureau operation was conducted in Cashel last evening (December 9th).
Officials from the Work Relations Commission; the Dublin based Garda National Immigration Bureau and the Cahir District Immigration Officer, inspected multiple business premises within the Cashel area.
During this joint agency operation, a number of offences were detected.
One person was detained, with Court case to follow.
This morning, December 7th, 2021, in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Gardaí from the District Drugs Unit, the Detective Branch and Regular units conducted a search under warrant, at a house in Clonmel town Co. Tipperary.
Cocaine with an estimated street value of over €2,500 euro was seized during this search operation.
A male in his 20’s was arrested and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, this morning hosted an online commemorative ceremony to mark the ninth annual national “Missing Persons Day”.
National Missing Persons Day is an all-Ireland day of commemoration, providing an opportunity for family members and friends of missing persons to remember their loved ones and to appeal to the public for any information that might be of assistance to An Garda Síochána.
Speaking at the virtual event, Minister McEntee said,
“While it saddens me greatly that another year has passed and we are not able to come together safely in person on this important day, I know that Missing Persons Day provides families and friends affected by the ambiguous loss of a loved one with comfort, hope and a sense of unity, no matter what the setting.
National Missing Persons Day provides an important platform to raise awareness of Ireland’s missing men, women and children. But it is also about ensuring that Ireland’s missing people are never forgotten.
I would like to encourage people who may have information about one of our missing people to come forward. Any information, even if it appears insignificant or irrelevant, has the potential to be important and valuable to both those investigating the disappearance of our missing persons, and the families and friends of missing persons.
I also want to encourage close family relatives of missing people who have yet to do so to provide a DNA sample for uploading to our national DNA database. The collection and subsequent matching of DNA samples from this database represents a key turning point in the identification of human remains in Ireland and has provided much longed-for closure for an increasing number of families.”
To mark national ‘Missing Persons Day’, an intimate, in-person ceremony is held each year, featuring spoken contributions from affected families, in addition to speeches from the Minister, the Garda Commissioner, and a number of other state or voluntary organisations.
However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Missing Persons Day was again marked by an online commemorative ceremony. This year’s ceremony was again compered by Barry Cummins and featured contributions from representatives of the Coroner Service and the Irish Coast Guard.
Addressing a number of recent positive developments in the justice sector, Minister McEntee said,
“In June this year, Minister Humphreys wrote to each coroner in the State, requesting that they send my Department details of all unidentified human remains within their coronial districts. Som 35 of 38 coroners have now submitted these returns, which are being collated by departmental officials and will be shared with the Missing Persons Unit, at the Garda National Protective Services Bureau for analysis.
From 2022 onwards, coroners will be asked to include details of any unidentified human remains reported to them in the preceding year, as part of a new statutory annual return to myself, as Minister for Justice. My Department will provide an ongoing annual update on any new cases to the Missing Persons Unit, to enable Gardaí to follow up with the individual coroners.”
The Minister concluded,
“Finally, I would like to thank all the families who will join us virtually this morning. National Missing Persons Day is first and foremost about the families and close friends of our missing people. This is a day to commemorate your missing loved ones and, today, we remember them with you.”
Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee announces details of funding for organisations supporting victims of abuse and crime to mark 16 days of activism against gender based violence
- 18 organisations are to receive funding this year primarily for regional based domestic abuse services.
- Move will fill gaps in supports identified in areas of the country and for categories of victims
- Announcement coincides with International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
- €4.9m in extra 2022 funds for organisations supporting victims of crime also open for applications
To mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has confirmed details of extra funding for areas of the country or categories of victims not currently fully covered by support services for victims.
As part of Minister McEntee’s ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey Plan’ to help victims and vulnerable witnesses, a mapping exercise was undertaken to identify gaps in funding and how to address them. A number of organisations were identified where additional funding would allow them to provide further services and to increase the geographical spread of support to victims of crime.
Minister McEntee said, “I’m delighted to be able to confirm these details as we mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and start the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence.
In general terms the funding will increase these organisations ability to supports victims especially given the rise in those seeking help.
This will be done primarily by increasing phone line hours, emotional support, and increased court accompaniment. Most of the funding gaps identified called for increases to regional-based domestic abuse services so the geographical spread of support will be increased.
Tackling domestic, sexual and gender based crime is a priority for me and the Government. I am leading work on a new whole of government plan to tackle these awful crimes. This new plan will be the most ambitious to date and will be published early next year”.
Among the 18 organisations receiving a total of €445,000 in funding this year are Victim Support at Court, Lifeline Inishowen, Longford Women’s Link, Immigrant Council of Ireland and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.
Ms Noeline Blackwell of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said, “We will use this funding for a comprehensive information and awareness drive about accompaniment and support services.
We aim to build a set of resources which would allow anyone needing it to independently find information and guidance on what various aspects of court accompaniment mean, what services are provided, what a victim or the supporter of a victim should know.”
The extra funding is being provided in 2021. This is separate from increased funding recently announced under Budget 2022 for combatting domestic, sexual and gender based violence and for supporting victims of crime, which includes:
An additional €2.4m for specific awareness raising and training programmes on domestic, sexual and gender based violence (DSGBV) bringing to €5.35m the funding available for combatting domestic sexual and gender based violence.
An additional €1.1m will be used to begin putting in place a legal advice and legal aid service in court for victims of sexual violence.
An additional €1 million is being provided under the Garda Vote to provide accommodation for Divisional Protective Service Units.
The Budget 2022 allocation also includes €4.9m to support Victims of Crime.
The Department of Justice has invited applications for this funding from registered charities, voluntary community groups and other bodies which provide support services or assistance for victims of crime generally, including provision of support, information and advice on the rights of victims, and court and other accompaniment.
Minister McEntee added, “The objective is to ensure that all of these services are available to all victims who need them, to a consistently high standard and throughout the State”.
Applicants for funding must be civil society organisations and preferably a registered charity and must be returned by 5:00pm on December 6th 2021.
For further details on how to apply, please contact: fundsadmin-victims-crime@justice.ie
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