The Garda is to review the wearing of ashes on the forehead on Ash Wednesday, of crucifixes and of pioneer pins with the official uniform, a spokesman for the Garda has confirmed. Kitty Hollandreports.
Speaking yesterday a spokesman said: "All religious items are being reviewed."
It was possible the wearing of these expressions of Catholicism with the uniform could be disallowed in the future, said a Garda spokesman.
It follows a statement from the director of the Garda Press Office, Kevin Donohue, that the controversy over the Garda Commissioner's decision to ban the wearing of a turban with the official uniform had "opened a whole Pandora's box".
Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time programme on Thursday evening, Mr Donohue said the decision had taken policy "in a certain direction" and that the Commissioner was "adamant" that if it was necessary to "row back" on current regulations allowing Catholic symbols, to preserve the impartiality of the force, he would do that.
Supt Donohue said it was vital that if a person required the service of a police officer in this State that "the person standing in front of you should be representative of the police force - not a Sikh police officer, not a Catholic police officer, not a Jewish police officer, [ but] an impartial police officer representative of An Garda Síochána."
The police were in a unique position of authority, he said.
"One of the key powers we have is the power to deprive people of their liberty. That must be done in an even-handed, fair, impartial way."
When asked what would be done about "symbols of Catholicism", he said: "The whole issue, indeed it has opened a whole Pandora's box because there are a whole lot of other religions, that may have issues, for instance Rastafarians would have an issue with headgear, Hare Krishna who wear face-paint and so on."
Pressed on whether ashes on Ash Wednesday would be allowed, he said: "It's going to be examined . . . The whole movement of I suppose diversification in Irish society has forced us to look at the practices and policies that we have.
"And certainly the issues like crucifixes, like pioneer pins, like ashes on Ash Wednesday, they are certainly all in the pot and from the argument that the Commissioner has made in this case, you know, it's going in a certain direction."
In a statement he had issued earlier, Supt Donohue said: "By accommodating variations to our standard uniform and dress, including those with religious symbolism, may well affect that traditional stance and give an image of An Garda Síochána which the Commissioner feels the public would not want."