Bare-faced request from gardai to grow beards
Rank and file members of the force want to allowed to grow beards — neatly trimmed ones of course.
Detectives working on undercover operations can grow them, but the ordinary garda on the beat is prohibited under a regulation which has been described as so archaic “it’s from the colonial era”.
The motion was proposed by John Joe O’Connell, a member of the GRA’s central executive committee who is based in Naas, Co Kildare.
Sporting designer stubble he told fellow delegates that currently the only people in the force able to grow beards, apart from the detectives, were those who could prove with medical certification that they had skin conditions.
That was the case in 2001 when Garda John Wilson, a key figure in the garda whistleblower controversy, was confined to indoor duties after he grew a beard. He was restored to full duties by Garda management after successfully arguing that he had a skin condition.
“For a lot of members shaving every day is not an issue. But there are members who find shaving every day irritating to the skin,” said Garda O’Connell.
He pointed out that police forces in Britain, American and Australia allow beards and said growing one would not effect how you did your job.
“Personally if I had the chance I’d grow a beard, I don’t like shaving,” he said.
Garda Jack Kelleher, who works in the Sligo/Leitrim division said that beards can help prevent skin cancer by blocking harmful ultraviolet rays.
“They reduce infections and spots,” he said.
Garda Ben Lynch, who also works in the same division, said it should be a right to grow facial hair and the regulation prohibiting it was from the “colonial era” and should be done away with.
The motion was passed by an overwhelming majority.
When asked what she thought of the GRA call for the lifting of the prohibition on beards, Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan smiled and said she had priority issues to deal with.
