Claim: Refugees in Ireland can apply to become members of An Garda Síochana.
Rating: TRUE ✅
In a press briefing this week, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he was “quite confused” by claims Gardaí had conducted recruitment sessions in IPAS centres, asserting that asylum seekers cannot become Garda members.
Responding to questions from a Gript journalist regarding FOI documents showing recruitment sessions held at IPAS centres since 2022, Harris insisted: “I’m not entirely sure what you’re referring to, because Garda members in fact have to be an Irish or EU citizen, a Stamp 4 [asylum seeker] cannot join An Garda Siochana as a Garda member.”
Stamp 4 refers to a kind of residency permit granting permanent residency to refugees within the Irish system.
Pressed on the issue further, Harris reiterated his position.
“I’m quite confused, because as I say, because other than Irish or EU citizens, Stamp 4 are prohibited from joining An Garda Siochana as a Garda member,” he said.
“…Someone seeking asylum and joining the International Protection system, there’s no route for them to join An Garda Siochana as a Garda member.”
Gript then clarified that the FOI documents referring to these events explicitly pertained to recruitment sessions, to which Harris responded: “You know, I’ll have to look to that further, because honestly that is entirely news to me.”
Garda press officer contradicts Harris
However, a Garda press officer later during the briefing clarified that individuals who meet specific residency and protection criteria can indeed apply to become Gardaí under current recruitment rules.
“If I could just make one clarification there, the candidate booklet for applications to join An Garda Siochana clearly states that, under the International Protection Act, people who have got certain declarations and have achieved certain residency are entitled to apply,” the press officer said.
“Once they apply they then go through the same stringent vetting that any other member of An Garda Siochana have gone through. It’s in the book and it’s up on our website.”
Asked directly by Gript if such individuals were eligible, the press officer confirmed they were, “if they meet certain certain requirements.”
What does the Garda candidate information booklet say?
According to the Garda 2025 candidate information booklet, applicants who have refugee status, subsidiary protection, or meet specific residence criteria under the International Protection Act, are indeed eligible to apply for Garda membership:
“By the closing date for this competition, you must be…A refugee or a family member of such a person in relation to whom a refugee declaration is in force and continues to be in force for the entire duration of the Garda Recruit selection and admissions process; or ii. A person granted subsidiary protection or a family member of such a person in relation to whom a subsidiary protection declaration is in force and continues to be in force for the entire duration of the Garda Recruit selection and admissions process; or iii. By the closing date of the advertisement of this competition, have had a period of one year’s continuous residence in the State, and during the eight years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the State amounting to four years.”
Another press officer later confirmed to Gript that while this does take place, only a small number of asylum seekers ultimately apply or pass selection.
Garda recruitment events
As reported by Gript previously, An Garda Síochána have held multiple events described as recruitment sessions at IPAS centres across Ireland, including Rathmines Road Lower IPAS centre, Ballinafad House in Castlebar, Mosney Village in Julianstown, and the Refugee Centre at the Grand Hotel in Wicklow, according to documents obtained under Freedom of Information.
Specifically, a recruitment fair in Mosney Village on April 6th 2023 explicitly invited attendees to learn about “the opportunities available to them for a career in An Garda Síochána.”
In email correspondence with Gript, the Garda press office confirmed: “An Garda Síochána has issued national press releases advertising our recruitment drives at IPAS centres. We publicly advertised such events through press release”.
Drew Harris promotes “diversity” within An Garda Síochana
The Garda Commissioner has previously highlighted the importance of increasing diversity within the force.
“An Garda Síochána is an increasingly diverse organisation,” Harris previously said.
“We have one of the highest rates of female officers in Europe and in our last Garda competition more than 20 per cent of applicants were from minority communities.
“However, we recognise that we have more to do in this regard to meet our aim of being fully representative of the people we serve.
“We want, and need, people from all backgrounds and communities to be Gardaí, and I would ask them to please apply. This is the only way we will get the representation among our ranks that communities need and deserve.”