A group representing Irish-speaking immigrants has called for the retention of the requirement on Garda recruits to have a working command of the Irish language.
The organisation of Irish-speaking Immigrants in Ireland, iMeasc ,welcomed the Department of Justice's initiative to recruit gardaí from the ethnic communities, saying it represented "a linguistic and cultural awareness which will augment policing in general".
However, the group said the Irish language would be marginalised if the requirement for gardaí to have a working command of Irish were dropped and warned of the danger that a person who speaks Irish could be ordered to speak English on pain of arrest.
The group, which comprises Irish-speakers of immigrant background from almost 20 different countries, made a two-page submission to the Minister for Justice and members of the Garda working group on the issue.
It said it considered it "crucial that immigrants be given equal treatment and at least the opportunity to obtain the same common cultural and social reference points as their Irish counterparts and that they not be shut out from the Irish-language because of their ethnic background.
The group welcomed proposals that immigrants be provided with classes in Irish to reach proficiency in the language either during or before their two-year training programme in the gardaí.
The submission says the "new recruiting initiative presents a great opportunity to carry into effect on a practical and realistic basis Government and Garda policy on the Irish language".