asked the Minister for Justice if he has received complaints that a person (details supplied) is being subjected by the Garda Síochána to harassment and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Garda Harassment.
85.
Limerick East): I received such a complaint from the Deputy and I asked the Garda authorities to have it investigated, which they have done. I am informed that the man concerned is not being subjected to harassment by members of the force.
Since the man concerned has complained in this way, I assume that he has authorised the Deputy to raise the matter publicly by way of parliamentary question and I, in turn, am therefore free to refer to matters that I would otherwise consider to be confidential.
The complainant was sentenced to five years penal servitude in 1972 following his conviction for robbery. In 1979 he was convicted of the larceny of £37,500 from a bank manager, the circumstances being that the manager paid over the money on the basis of a claim that his wife was being held hostage. On that occasion the man concerned was sentenced to four years imprisonment. He was released as recently as June 1982.
People who have served their sentences, however serious their crimes, have of course the same rights as other citizens, but it is unrealistic to think that there will not be occasions when the Garda may have to show more interest in their movements than might be shown in the movements of others.
The most recent incident, however, which was the subject of a complaint, occurred last month when the man concerned had to be approached by members of the Garda about the parking of a car on double yellow lines. That fact was not mentioned in his complaint to the Deputy. He was then also asked some other questions which I understand were of a very general kind, but, having regard to his previous convictions, I would not consider that that could reasonably be described as harassment.