Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 November 2015
133. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of members of An Garda Síochána who have been supported to learn a foreign language in each of the past three years and in 2015 to date, given that census 2011 indicated that more than 500,000 residents speak a language at home other than English or Irish. [40926/15]
View answer134. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of members of An Garda Síochána who can speak French, Spanish, German, Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin), Arabic, Urdu, Pashto, Somali and Farsi. [40927/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.
In relation to the information requested by the Deputy regarding the number of Gardaí who have been supported to learn a foreign language in each of the past three years and in 2015 to date, I have requested this information from the Garda Commissioner and I will write directly to the Deputy on receipt of same.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the information requested with regard to the number of Gardaí that can speak the languages in question, is not retained by An Garda Síochána.
