Tánaiste Simon Harris has said it would be a “peculiar” and possibly “futile exercise” to recruit Gardaí from within IPAS centres, given that many residents “won’t have a right to be here in the longer term.”
Speaking to Gript ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting this week, the Fine Gael Tánaiste was asked whether Garda recruitment events should be held in facilities designated for international protection applicants.
“No…people who are living in IPAS centres by their very nature should be there on a temporary basis,” he said.
“Some people who are there would have a right to stay in our country in due course, would be regularised, would be very welcome in our country, and then of course can apply to work in Ireland. And indeed many, many people and many migrants to our country could go on to be very excellent members of the Gardaí, and they’d be very welcome to do so, as current members of An Garda Síochána are too.
“But there will also be many people in an IPAS centre who won’t have a right to be here in the longer term. And the Minister for Justice is speeding up the process of making sure that those people get yay or a nay more quickly. And if they get a nay more quickly they need to leave our country more quickly.”
He questioned the decision to host recruitment events at such locations.
“Therefore, I think it would be a peculiar location for one,” Harris said. “And I would imagine there’s many more better locations.”
He reiterated his support for greater diversity in the Gardaí, but insisted that recruitment drives should focus on those with a legal right to reside in Ireland.
“I’m all in favour, by the way, of diversification in the Gardaí,” he continued. “People who come to our country and make our country their home can have an important role to play in the Gardaí. Of course they can.
“But people in the IPAS centres, many people won’t have a right to actually reside here in the long term. And therefore I think it might be a futile exercise.”
Asked whether he intended to follow up on the matter with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, the Tánaiste referenced Gript’s earlier exchange with the Commissioner on the same issue.
“I think from your own enquiries yesterday with the Garda Commissioner himself, it looks to me from your exchanges with him, that he will follow this up also,” he said.
When asked if he believed that the eligibility rules for joining An Garda Síochána should be changed to exclude those who are currently within the international protection system, Harris said he would need to examine the details.
“I’d have to familiarise myself with them and these are obviously operational matters for the Gardaí,” he said.
“But obviously if you have a right to say in our country and you have a right to work in our country, you’re very welcome here and you’re welcome to apply for An Garda Síochána.
“If you don’t have a right to stay in our country and you don’t have a right to work here, well then obviously you can’t.”
Speaking at a separate press briefing earlier this week, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris expressed surprise at the notion that recruitment had taken place at IPAS centres.