There is no doubt that some of the 120 members of ethnic minorities who attended a workshop on Garda recruitment yesterday will get into the force, according to Áine Grey.
She is a psychologist in the Public Service Appointments Service who ran the workshop, organised by the National Consultative Council on Racism and Multiculturalism, in Dublin.
"We manage the applications so that people can apply on publicjobs.ie and we manage the tests and the interview and the written examination.
"Then those who are successful are handed over to Garda HQ and they do the medical fitness and character checks."
Those who turned up yesterday came from China, India, Africa and eastern Europe. About a third were women.
They were addressed by Insp Mary Gormley from the Garda, who said 45 per cent of the Irish people who took the test last year failed.
EU citizens are eligible to apply to join the force without any waiting period. However, those from non-EU countries must have five years residency in Ireland before they can apply.
The morning's workshop introduced the participants to the whole recruitment process, explaining the tests and allowing them to do practice tests. All this information, including the practice tests, is also on publicjobs.ie
"There was the same variety across the room as there would be with an Irish group," Ms Grey said. "Some found the tests quite difficult and others flew through them. There was the full range in this room this morning."
There were a number whose English was not brilliant and some of the tests are language-based . . . but some will come through. There's no doubt about that."