Cuffe calls for Gardaí to reverse turban ruling

Press Release: Justice 21 August 2007

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21 August 2007

Cuffe calls for Gardaí to reverse turban ruling

Green Party Equality spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD today called on An Garda Síochána to reverse its recent ruling which prohibits a Sikh recruit to the Garda Reserve from wearing a turban as part of his uniform.

Deputy Cuffe said: "I am calling on the Garda authorities to review this ruling, and have written today to Commissioner Noel Conroy requesting him to do so. I informed him that in my opinion it does not meet with international best practice. This decision is in complete contrast to the positions of other reserve forces, such as the London Metropolitan Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who allow Sikh members to wear their turbans. Police forces in the UK , USA, Singapore , Malaysia, Pakistan and India have no problem in allowing the wearing of turbans.

"The turban is a vital part of the rules of the Sikh religion. Sikh men are prohibited from cutting their hair or appearing in public without the turban. In my opinion, the wearing of a turban would in no way impinge upon the operational effectiveness of a member of the force."

The London-based Metropolitan Police Sikh Association has accused the Garda Síochána of 'racial discrimination' in their decision, saying it "did not support community cohesion, diversity and tolerance of other faiths."

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com, or Text Ciaran on 087 265 2075.