No. 59/1937:

GARDA SIOCHANA (APPOINTMENTS) REGULATIONS, 1937.

GARDA SIOCHANA (APPOINTMENTS) REGULATIONS, 1937.

WHEREAS by sub-section (1) of section 14 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925 (No. 7 of 1925), it is enacted that the Minister for Justice may from time to time, subject to the approval of the Executive Council, make regulations in relation to the appointment and enrolment of members of the Gárda Síochána:

AND WHEREAS it is enacted by sub-section (3) of the said section 14 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925 , that all regulations made under section 18 of the Gárda Síochána (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 (No. 37 of 1923), and continued by section 21 of the Gárda Síochána Act, 1924 (No. 25 of 1924), and in force at the commencement of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925 , may be revoked by regulations made under the said section 14:

AND WHEREAS the Gárda Síochána (Designations, Appointments and Discipline) Regulations, 1924, were made under section 18 of the Gárda Síochána (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923, and were continued by section 21 of the Gárda Síochána Act, 1924, and were in force at the commencement of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925 :

NOW, therefore, the Minister for Justice, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 14 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925 (No. 7 of 1925), and of every and any other power him in this behalf enabling, does hereby, with the approval of the Executive Council, make the following regulations, that is to say:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Gárda Síochána (Appointments) Regulations, 1937.

2. The Interpretation Act, 1923 (No. 46 of 1923), applies to the interpretation of these Regulations in like manner as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of the Oireachtas.

3. In these Regulations—

the expression " the Commissioner " means the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána;

the expression " the Force " means the Gárda Síochána.

4. (1) The Commissioner shall not appoint and enrol any person as a member of the Force unless the Civil Service Commissioners certify for the purposes of such appointment and enrolment that they are satisfied that such person has the following qualifications, that is to say:—

(a) he is unmarried and is between the ages of 19 and 27 years;

(b) he is not less than 5 feet 9 inches in height and has a mean chest measurement of at least 37 inches in case he is 5 feet 11 inches or over in height or of at least 36 inches if he is less than 5 feet 11 inches in height;

(c) he is of good character, in good health, of sound constitution, and fitted physically and mentally to perform the duties of a member of the Gárda Síochána;

(d) he has passed a qualifying educational examination in such subjects and of such standard as the Civil Service Commissioners, after consultation with the Commissioner, shall determine.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the preceding paragraph of this Regulation—

(a) the Executive Council, if they think that it is proper in the public interest so to do, may authorise the Commissioner to appoint and enrol a specified person as a member of the Force without the qualifications of such person being certified for the purposes of such appointment and enrolment by the Civil Service Commissioners under this Regulation, and upon the Commissioner being so authorised he may forthwith appoint and enrol such person as a member of the Force, and

(b) the Commissioner may, with the consent of the Minister for Justice, appoint and enrol any person as a member of the Force without the qualifications of such person being certified for the purpose of such appointment an d enrolment by the Civil Service Commissioners under this Regulation provided that such person has at any previous time served as a member of the Force.

5. On first appointment by the Commissioner as a member of the Force, such member shall be appointed to the rank of guard and shall be on probation for a period of one year and for such further period (if any) not exceeding six months as the Commissioner may direct in the case of such member.

6. The Commissioner may at any time dispense with the services of any member of the Force who is on probation if the Commissioner considers that such member is not fitted, physically or mentally, to perform his duties as such member, or that such member is not likely to become an efficient and well-conducted guard.

7. Regulations 5, 6 and 7 of the Gárda Síochána (Designations, Appointments and Discipline) Regulations, 1924, are hereby revoked.

Given under my Seal of Office this 15th day of

March, 1937.

(Signed) P. J. RUTTLEDGE,

Minister for Justice.