New eligibility criteria for entry into the Garda Síochána will be brought to Government shortly, according to the Minister for Justice.
The new criteria were necessary to encourage recruitment from people of different ethnic backgrounds, Michael McDowell told graduates from the Garda College in Templemore at their graduation ceremony yesterday.
One hundred and eighty-four newly qualified gardaí - 75 women and 109 men - graduated and will be allocated to Garda stations around the country.
Mr McDowell said the Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy had recently completed a review of the criteria for entry into the force, including the need for an academic qualification in Irish. He said this was of particular relevance for those of different ethnic backgrounds and all those who did not receive their schooling within the Irish education system.
"Whatever new arrangements might be put in place in this regard, my position is that Irish will continue to have an important place in An Garda Síochána, in line with its constitutional status as the first official language of the State, and that everyone who wishes to must be able to communicate with the force through our native language," he said.
New Garda graduates were entering the force at a time of historic change and expansion in the force, said Mr McDowell, who also opened the new administration building for the college.
He said the building would increase capacity to meet the recruitment needs of the force, arising out of the decision to increase its strength to 14,000.
He also opened in-service training facilities yesterday, which were outsourced to the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh.
One course developed in recent years - that for ethnic liaison officers - clearly illustrated the need for continuing education for a changing force, Mr McDowell said.
"Currently, a forensic collision course dealing with fatal road traffic accidents is taking place. The number attending courses here each week works out at about 50- 60 on average."
Mr McDowell told graduates that the Garda Síochána, including those in training, would number 14,000 at the end of 2006. Based on CSO population projections, this will result in a ratio of one Garda to approximately every 300 people, up from one per 335 in 1997.
He reminded them of new provisions of the Garda Act, including the requirement to account for their actions while on duty.