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'Really encouraging': Reaction to change in Garda uniform to allow wearing of turbans and hijabs

The decision comes alongside a new recruitment drive for gardaí.

THE DECISION TO allow alterations be made to the garda uniform for religious and ethnic reasons has been welcomed by a number of groups today. 

Under the changes, gardaí will allow the wearing of the turban for members of the Sikh community and the hijab for Muslims.

An Garda Síochána said it has identified such matters as a major barrier to some people considering becoming a Garda member. 

The decision made by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris comes as the force today opened a recruitment competition for Garda trainees, which will remain open until 3pm on 24 April.

The recruitment drive is being advertised under the slogan ‘The Difference is You’.

“We also know that we need to become a much more diverse organisation so that we properly reflect the society we serve. That’s why our campaign is focusing on people who might not have previously considered a career as a Garda member,” Harris said. 

“We want to encourage people from all walks of life to join us. We are looking for diversity not only in background, but also in skills,” he said. 

‘Step towards integration’

The Muslims Sisters of Éire said it wishes to “acknowledge and celebrate” the decision that the wearing of the turban and the hijab will be allowed. 

“It is a step towards integration and societal cohesion when our policing forces are welcome to visually represent people of all backgrounds, faiths and none,” the group said. 

Especially in times of increasing tear towards Muslims, welcoming Muslim gardaí force members to keep their religious attire can greatly assist in irradiating Islamophobic attitudes and discrimination towards people of faith. 

The Immigrant Council of Ireland tweeted that the decision is “really encouraging news”.

Meanwhile, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has described Harris’ decision as a “useful measure”. 

“We welcome any reasonable measure such as the relaxation of rules on uniform to facilitate recruitment of people from non-Christian backgrounds – and are open to other approaches for bringing people born outside Ireland into the force irrespective of their religion or ethnicity,” GRA General Secretary Pat Ennis said. 

The new approach being taken by An Garda Síochána is in line with that adopted by police services such as the PSNI, Police Scotland, New Zealand Police, NYPD, and other police services in UK, Australia and Canada.

An Garda Síochána is also carrying out research with communities who are under-represented in the force to identify what more the organisation needs to do to encourage them to join either as a Garda member, Garda staff or Garda reserve. 

Garda trainee candidates can apply on www.publicjobs.ie until 3pm on 24 April.

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    Mute Kevin Mc Garry
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:27 PM

    When some bastard robs the straw off the Capri sun.

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    Mute Paul Doyle
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:32 PM

    I have a far worse problem.
    Forgot to stock up on beer yesterday.

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    Mute Aunty gaybo
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    Mar 29th 2013, 8:41 PM

    The horror

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    Mute Paul Doyle
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    Mar 29th 2013, 10:00 PM

    Tis OK, managed to get invited to a party with tons of gargle.
    More house parties on tonight than New Year’s Eve, it’s mental!

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    Mute Ted Power
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:21 PM

    I hate when women leave the toilet seat down, boils my blood!

    140
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    Mute Mjhint
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:55 PM

    Over population & the destruction of the environment.

    72
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    Mute Gareth Harpur
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    Mar 29th 2013, 5:42 PM

    You’ve probably seen it but for anyone that hasn’t, this is a great watch…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa3ZDEZj3P8

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    Mute kevin osullivan
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:27 PM

    Honestly. The rising cost of food n fuel.

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    Mute Michael
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    Mar 29th 2013, 11:00 PM

    Thank the Americans and Ben Bernanke for that.

    4
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:25 PM

    Worlds most pressing problem?

    The british/yankee murder machine.

    54
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    Mute Graham Thew
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:31 PM

    Worlds most pressing problem? Collapse of our climate with the wholesale implosion of earths ecosystems within 50-70 years, so long & thanks for the great party

    43
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    Mute Michelle Rogers
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:36 PM

    I know Graham – talk about the elephant in the room – all other concerns are transient, but if we continue to destroy the environment, plants and animals that support life on earth and bring climate change on our heads that will be IRREVERSIBLE and will have catastrophic effects, as flora and fauna will not have the time to evolve and adapt, then the rest is pretty trivial in comparison. Sigh.

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    Mute Gaius Gracchus
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:54 PM

    Snow 5 weeks in advance of summer, I’ll be out in the garden spraying aerosols to speed up global warming

    27
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    Mute Dennis Collins
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:13 PM

    All you’ll be speeding up is sunburn and skin cancer as they destroy the ozone layer rather than cause climate change.

    13
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    Mute Gaius Gracchus
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:21 PM

    I was only joking like, Jesus

    69
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:58 PM

    Gaius, my General,

    Should you so wish I will flog him for you.

    17
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    Mute Gaius Gracchus
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    Mar 29th 2013, 4:02 PM

    Salve centurion, bring him to the Circus Maximus, let’s see what the lions think of his insolence

    24
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    Mute Michelle Rogers
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    Mar 30th 2013, 2:31 PM

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/25/frozen-spring-arctic-sea-ice-loss
    Read this about how global warming and melting ice is actually messing with the Gulf Stream, and that causes weather patterns (such as the current cold one) to get locked in for a long period. Weather havoc is not going to be good for all the minutely inter-connected relationships between plants, insects and animals that are essential to our very survival.

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    Mute Graham Thew
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    Mar 30th 2013, 3:05 PM

    Thanks for that Michelle, more depressing reading confirming the obvious. At this stage sadly it’s not about averting the disaster of climate change but how best to cope as a species confronted with problems that make war & famine look l. The political solution to this seems to be diverting the public attention towards comparatively trifling issues such as the economy or national security.

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    Mute Patricia Mc Cann
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:23 PM

    Worlds most pressing problem? The horror in Syria .

    48
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    Mute Karl O Flynn
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:16 PM

    Lack of real regulation in the world banking system. Trillions of leveraged unsecured derivatives in the system. Reckless uncontroled Quantitative easing which will eventually come back to haunt. These have the potential to disrupt the system and even lead to wars long term. We are witnessing the runaway train of wealth transfer on a grand scale. Time for citizens to wake up, educate themselves and understand what’s really happening behind the curtain.

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    Mute Michael
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    Mar 29th 2013, 11:02 PM

    It’s the government involvement that created the moral hazards and then BAILED THEM OUT.

    I’m tired of this regulation BULLSH** excuse. The financial sector is REGULATED TO DEATH.

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    Mute Karl O Flynn
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    Mar 29th 2013, 11:14 PM

    The financial sector may have regulations, but my god man they are not enforced. Do some research on the shadow banking system and then tell me what you feel about it. I could care less about a few Irish pee on banks. I speak of investment banks and hedge funds which are parasites within a casino based Ponzi system which will eventually implode under its own leverage.

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    Mute Mick Madden
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:57 PM

    Censorship on here is terrible like being in a soviet state !

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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:59 PM

    mick,

    i make that point every second day, and they give out about north korea…

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    Mute nicola burke
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:52 PM

    Worlds most pressing problem…..how do they get the figs in the fig rolls…(don’t mean to sound flippant but come on its a bank holiday weekend let us take a break from misery it will All still be there Tuesday

    33
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    Mute David Hynes
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:57 PM

    The First world problem will be energy, that will effect food prices, economies…
    The third world problem is fresh water, that will effect food production…

    but the single biggest thing is climate change…that’s effects water,food, economies, societies…

    32
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    Mute Aisling Brady
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    Mar 29th 2013, 5:31 PM

    You mean “that will affect” or “have an effect”.

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    Mute David Hynes
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    Mar 29th 2013, 7:09 PM

    Always one

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    Mute Mick Madden
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    Mar 29th 2013, 4:02 PM

    As I said before my bitch of an ex wife when she fleeces me next week in court. What is wrong with this statement. It’s the truth !

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    Mute Liam
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:07 PM

    At the end of the day the most pressing issue is global warming, everything else that would be considered a problem is only small when compared to how bad our climate will become if we don’t resolve the problem.

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    Mute Paul Doyle
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:33 PM

    Bring on global warming, I’m feckin freezing.

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    Mute Michelle Rogers
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    Mar 30th 2013, 2:27 PM
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    Mute Paul White
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:45 PM

    Religion.

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    Mute Marc Anthony Power
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:44 PM

    People aren’t wearing enough hats

    29
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    Mute Aisling Brady
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    Mar 29th 2013, 5:34 PM

    The world’s biggest problem is “GREED” – without greed there would be enough of everything to go round, no global warming, no fighting, no hunger etc.

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    Mute Michael
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    Mar 29th 2013, 11:04 PM

    I have to disagree. Greed is good, you can only be greedy and succeed if you make everyone’s life around you better

    1
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    Mute Mark Salmon
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    Mar 29th 2013, 7:00 PM

    The World’s biggest problem?
    People.

    19
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    Mute Paul Corrigan
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:12 PM

    People who iron for a living

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    Mute RP McMurphy
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    Mar 29th 2013, 2:59 PM

    Would have thought food security and available potable water. I think water will start next Indo-Pak war, and pit state vs state in a war for access to it!

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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:43 PM

    ONLY BLIND CAN’T SEE THAT AMERIKA IS THE WORLD’S BIGGEST PROBLEM! :(

    13
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    Mute Gaius Gracchus
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    Mar 29th 2013, 4:16 PM

    Amerika is GREAT SATAN

    13
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    Mute Brian Rochford
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    Mar 29th 2013, 6:25 PM

    Yes they are polluting us with there massive FDI’s

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    Mute Jason Moran
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    Mar 29th 2013, 4:23 PM
    11
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 29th 2013, 5:10 PM

    nice on jason

    This should be on the curriculum of every school….

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    Mute Wastrel
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    Mar 29th 2013, 9:16 PM

    I was with him up till “global warming cultists”

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    Mute Jason Moran
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    Mar 30th 2013, 3:37 AM

    ignore the global warming cultists reference – just go with a debt based economy

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    Mute Ah Here
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    Mar 29th 2013, 5:14 PM

    Climate change is the biggest danger and it’s disappointing to see that much of the world’s population isn’t appropriately concerned. There won’t be an economy to worry about if we destroy the environment which sustains us. And if you think social disorder is bad now, wait until people start fighting over dwindling space, food etc.

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    Mute Morgan McCabe
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    Mar 29th 2013, 6:55 PM

    World Population!

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    Mute Kardia Skepsi
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    Mar 29th 2013, 6:09 PM

    Humanity is the biggest threat to the world. And the world is the biggest threat to humanity.

    We must defeat it in Mortal Kombat.

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    Mute Brian Rochford
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    Mar 29th 2013, 6:26 PM

    We must master our fear or our fear will become our master

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    Mute ivy mike
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    Mar 29th 2013, 3:30 PM

    That soldier looks like a car a bit

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    Mute Sav
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    Mar 29th 2013, 5:37 PM

    Climate change isn’t really a pressing matter as it doesn’t affect us on a day to day basis. The damage done now to the Eco system won’t affect us significantly for decades (I do agree that by the time we feel the affects it may be too late to do anything about it)

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    Mute Catherine Crotty Brett
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    Mar 30th 2013, 12:36 AM

    Able bodied people parking in disabled parking bays. I saw a car parked last week taking up two disabled bays female driver was talking on her phone. Would not move for me to park.

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    Mute Stephen Moran
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    Mar 30th 2013, 1:35 AM

    Ryan Gosling’s break from acting.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Mar 29th 2013, 9:26 PM

    Each country faces its own specific set of problems. Each person faces his or her own set of problems. For people to get on here and try to pin those problems down is a pointless task.

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    Mute Michael
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    Mar 29th 2013, 11:06 PM

    Inflation and Drones

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    Mute daniel fell
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    Mar 30th 2013, 6:43 AM

    Stockpile of nuclear weapons.

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    Mute Jeff Behan
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    Mar 30th 2013, 3:20 AM

    http://amazonwatch.org/take-action/stop-the-belo-monte-monster-dam

    Sting won’t be happy nor me for that matter

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    Mute Catherine Crotty Brett
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    Mar 30th 2013, 12:43 AM

    Explain yourself

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