asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that the party of Gárda who visited John O'Connor, Curramore, Borlinn, on August 29th last again visited him on the 31st October, this time accompanied by a Superintendent, and in the course of an interview further threatened O'Connor, and that following this the Superintendent took a statement from him, but omitted certain important relevant facts, notwithstanding O'Connor's protests, and whether, in view of this, the Minister will arrange for the taking of another statement in the presence of independent witnesses.
ORAL ANSWERS. - ALLEGATION AGAINST GARDA.
In connection with the Deputy's previous question inquiries were made by the local Superintendent from John O'Connor on the 29th ultimo, not on the 31st ultimo, as stated in the Deputy's question. As I have already stated, the charges made against the police both in his original allegations to the Deputy and in his present allegations are criminal in character, and can be invesigated in the District Court only in the ordinary way.
Is the Minister going to take no action whatsoever in regard to this case, where there is absolute evidence that the man was visited again by a party of Gárda and threatened and forced to sign a statement? Has the Minister no disciplinary powers that can be brought into action in a case like that?
I do not accept these facts at all.
If these facts are brought before the Minister in a sworn affidavit or that suitable public representatives that would be acceptable to him as independent witnesses take a sworn statement of these facts from the man accompanied by a Superintendent of the Gárda who was there last week, would he not then consider the holding of an investigation into the matter?
If the facts are as the Deputy states then let a charge be brought against the Gárda in the courts.
Will the Government pay the costs and help this poor man to bring this case against the Gárda?
The Deputy hardly knows what the procedure in the courts is. It costs the prosecutor absolutely nothing. He goes and makes an information before the magistrate, and nothing further is required.