asked the Minister for Justice if he has seen a signed statement made by three members of a Strike Committee at Letterkenny Mental Hospital stating that two strikers were placed under arrest for refusing to give their names in English, and whether in view of this statement he will have further inquiries made into the occurrence.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ARREST OF LETTERKENNY STRIKERS.
A copy of such a statement was handed to me by the Deputy. I have inquired into the matter, and I am satisfied that two strikers who were following one of the Asylum workers, were required by a Gárda to come to the Asylum gate for identification, after they had declined to spell their names or give the English equivalent. It was merely a question of identification, and it is common knowledge that on the occasion of strikes picketers frequently resort to obstruction. One must exercise a little commonsense in these matters. In the copy of the statement signed by the two gentlemen in question, with the Irish form of their names, I note that the words "Civic Guard" are used, although the official statutory title of the force is "Gárda Síochána." By the time members of the Fáinne, such as one of them is reported to be, learn to give the police their proper Irish title and thus show good example, I anticipate that most of the Gárdaí will be able to identify people through the Irish form of their names.
Does the statement that they required to go to the Asylum gates for identification, mean that the Gárda placed them under arrest while they were going to the Asylum gate?
If the Deputy wants an admission, there was a technical arrest for the purpose of the better identification of the individuals.