Vol. 483 No. 6
362 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the sanctions or disciplinary action, if any, taken within the force, under the Garda Síochána Complaints Act, 1986, or the Garda Síochána Discipline Regulations, 1989, against the one member who was convicted of common assault and allowed to continue to serve as outlined in the statistics published by his Department in February 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20918/97]
I am aware of two instances where gardaí who were convicted of common assault were allowed to continue to serve in the force.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that in one of these cases the breach of discipline was processed in accordance with Regulation 13 of the Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations, 1989. This regulation prescribes the procedure to be followed by the Garda authorities where certain breaches of discipline are admitted and the holding of an inquiry is, therefore, unnecessary. The penalty imposed in this case was a temporary reduction in pay.
In the second case the complaint was processed under the Garda Síochána (Complaints) Act, 1986. The Garda Complaints Board referred the matter to a tribunal hearing which found the garda in breach of discipline and imposed a fine equivalent to four weeks pay.
