asked the Minister for Justice whether there are any regulations in force governing the use of batons by members of the Garda Síochána; and, if so, whether copies of such regulations may be made available to members of the Oireachtas on request.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Batons.
The police have instructions as to when and how they may use batons. These are confidential instructions and I do not think that it would be in the public interest, except for some special reason, that copies of them or of any other confidential police instructions should be furnished, even to members of the Oireachtas.
I should like to make it clear, as I did when answering questions on 26th October, that the instructions provide that where the police have to use force, there must be no more force than is necessary. If at any time a complaint is made to me that the police have used batons without sufficient cause, I shall see that the complaint is investigated, and any person who is injured by a police baton can, of course, take proceedings in the courts if he considers that there was not just cause for using the baton.
May I ask whether these are, in fact, instructions or regulations?
There is a regulation and instruction. The instruction is a private, a confidential, instruction for the Gardaí only. If a guard breaks any of these, he is liable to disciplinary action.
I gather from the reply that there are, in fact, regulations?
There are.
Presumably they are made under the Act of 1925. That Act provides that they will be laid on the Table of the House. I take it they will be made available in the Library.
They are available in the Library.
I do not think they are there, but I take it the Minister will make them available.