asked the Minister for Justice if, with regard to reports that members of the Garda Síochána have been prohibited from holding meetings in connection with the nomination and election of candidates for the Garda Representative Body, he will cause such prohibition to be revoked immediately, having regard to the urgent desirability of having free and representative elections in which the members of the force will have confidence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Representative Body.
61.
Mr. Ryan
I have seen the reports which appeared in an evening newspaper of 14th May and in another paper of the following day in which it was alleged that members of the Force serving in the Detective Branch, Dublin Castle, had been prohibited from holding meetings in connection with the forthcoming elections under the Garda Síochána (Representative Bodies) Regulations, 1962.
I can inform the House that these reports are completely without foundation. Indeed, several hours prior to its publication in the evening paper, a representative of the paper was informed by the Garda authorities, in reply to an inquiry, that the report was untrue.