asked the Minister for Justice if he will state the reason for the baton charges in O'Connell Street, Dublin on Christmas Eve night, 1959; if he is aware that between 40 and 50 persons were injured in these charges, many of them being innocent bystanders or persons proceeding to their homes; and why no persons were charged with an offence arising out of these events.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Street Incidents.
38.
I am informed by the Commissioner, Garda Síochána, that there was no baton charge in O'Connell Street, or elsewhere in Dublin, on Christmas Eve. There were disturbances and disorderly scenes in O'Connell Street, and individual members of the Garda Síochána may have had to draw their batons at times, but there was certainly no general order for a drawing of batons, much less a baton charge.
I am not aware that anybody was injured by a Garda baton on the occasion in question. The suggestion that forty or fifty persons, including many innocent bystanders, were so injured, is, I am satisfied, a gross exaggeration to say the least of it.
When disturbances take place, the primary duty of the Garda Síochána is to restore order and maintain the peace. The officer in charge of the Gardaí on duty in O'Connell Street on the occasion in question took the view that, having regard to the large numbers of people involved, the restoration of order and the maintenance of the peace could best be secured by not making arrests.
Both the Commissioner, Garda Síochána, and District Officers concerned have received several messages commending the Garda Síochána for the way in which they dealt with the disturbances.
Is the Minister aware that on Christmas Eve night, any Christmas Eve night, between 10.30 and 11.30 o'clock there are anything from 10,000 to 15,000 people innocently inebriated in O'Connell Street? Ninety per cent. of these people drink whiskey on that day only and for the remainder of the year they drink plain porter. Is the Minister further aware that on that night 40 persons were injured as a result of blows from batons? That is the number given to me at Jervis Street Hospital when I went there yesterday. I was also told that the majority of them were brought in by the Guards. Therefore the Guards are aware of who they are and could have brought charges. It is an extraordinary thing that not a single person was charged.
The Deputy is making a speech, not asking a question.
I am asking the Minister if he is aware that 40 persons were treated, that most of them were brought in by the Guards who therefore know their names and addresses and could have made charges? The fact is that the Guards ran amok and used their batons on innocent people.
Has the Deputy finished the question yet?
Yes, Sir. I am asking for an inquiry and I intend to raise the matter on the adjournment.
In view of the fact that the public impression has been that there was a baton charge on that occasion and in order to protect the good name of the Guards in Dublin and elsewhere, does the Minister not think that this is a bit late in the day to issue a denial that there was a baton charge? Surely that denial should have been made immediately after the incident?
I have to assume that the Deputy is referring to the newspaper report which was a gross exaggeration of the facts. The statement made by Deputy Sherwin just now is a still more gross exaggeration. The Deputy has stated that he made personal inquiries at the hospital and was told that 40 people were treated for injuries.
Correct.
May I state that the Garda authorities immediately after the publication of this report, went to the hospital in question and asked for confirmation of the report. They were informed by the hospital authorities that all matters relating to the treatment of patients were strictly confidential and that they could not give information of any description in that regard, not even to the Garda authorities. In these circumstances, I have grave doubts as to the statement made by Deputy Sherwin to that effect.
Again I want to impress on the House that a disturbance took place in O'Connell Street. I do not know whether the people who caused that disturbance were members of an organised gang, but they were part of a gang who have been frightening the public for some little time to the extent that the public would not come to the aid of the police in certain circumstances through sheer fear of these types of individuals, some of whom were circulating in the crowd at the time. These are the people who were the centre of the disturbance on that occasion. Some of them had broken bottles in their hands and if individual Guards did draw their batons I commend them for doing that.
I am informed that a Garda who uses his baton has to make a report giving the circumstances in which he uses it, and that the only circumstance in which a Garda can use a baton without an order is to defend himself. If a Garda defended himself with his baton against a ruffian with a broken bottle who was prepared to use it as a weapon I say that he was quite correct in doing so. As far as I am concerned, the Gardaí have been given, like the rest of us, natural weapons of defence—their hands. If they use these, against this particular section of the public who are doing so much against the good name of the city. I want to repeat they will have my commendation.
The Minister has stated that he doubts my statement that 40 people were treated in the hospital. I was at the hospital yesterday and a nun and two doctors seated at a table assured me that that was so. I shall raise the matter on the adjournment.