Marriage bar:Major opposition to the advancement of women in An Garda Síochána is highlighted in a number of files just released by the National Archives.
Garda commissioner Patrick Malone opposed the retention of female gardaí after marriage in 1973, saying: "it would not be conducive to a happy family life".
He later went on to say that male gardaí were more effective than female, so if there was to be any increase in numbers it should favour men.
The first ban gardaí were appointed in 1959 but like all civil servants, they had to resign on marriage. In a letter to the secretary of the Department of Justice in 1973, Malone highlighted the problems he foresaw if married women were allowed to remain in the force.
"I also consider that the nature of the work of a ban garda could be hazardous to the health of the married members in their early stages of pregnancy and it would not be appropriate to have them on duty in the advanced states," he wrote.
"Their hours of work can be irregular and they are frequently called upon for duty throughout the country. I feel this form of life would not be conducive to a happy family life and would inevitably reflect on their performance as ban gardaí. Having considered all aspects of the matter, I am opposed to the retention of ban gardaí after marriage."
Less than a year later, the marriage bar was removed for women in the Garda. But the obstacles facing women in the force were again highlighted when an official in the Department of Justice wrote that minister for justice Patrick Cooney was concerned at the effect of proposed anti-discrimination legislation on the Garda.
The official said the minister felt that the view that the work of gardaí was "to a large extent 'man's work' cannot be dismissed lightly or without full analysis, as the consequences of an error of judgment in this area could be far-reaching".
He said the Garda commissioner and senior officers had "made it clear that they believe firmly that very many male gardaí see themselves as members of a 'male force' whose main work must, in the nature of things, be done by men and who would resent being under the command of female superiors with a consequent fall-off in efficiency and morale". At that time, women could only be promoted within the ban garda unit.
The official highlighted "substantial practical problems" if female gardaí were treated equally with men. He asked if it was acceptable that ban gardaí should be required to do motor-bike or night patrols "in tough districts" or to police riot situations. Was it acceptable that pregnant women should be required to do any outdoor duties at all, as they may be "knocked about", he said.
"What financial investment would be required in order to provide even minimum suitable accommodation for women in every station up and down the country?" he asked. Gardaí were already critical of poor accommodation, so was it right that accommodation problems be intensified in this way, he said.
In an information note prepared for the minister for justice, an official wrote that there were 38 ban gardaí in the force and the commissioner believed that this number was "satisfactory".
There were more than 6,500 members of the force at that time.
The need to appoint a woman to the detective branch "has not arisen and there is no proposal to do so", he said. "The commissioner's view is that if there is to be an increase in strength, it should be in the number of male gardaí - because, overall, a male member is more effective than a female."
One female sergeant had passed the exam for promotion to inspector rank but had "been told that no vacancies in the rank exist for women".
