Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Jan 2000

Vol. 513 No. 1

Written Answers. - Garda Arrests.

Proinsias De Rossa

Ceist:

672 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether the detention of a person (details supplied) on 6 September 1998 in Sundrive Garda station on the foot of an arrest warrant not in his name and the failure of the gardaí to release him and to apologise, in spite of the fact that he was identified by his lawyer and members of Residents Against Racism as being a person other than that named in the warrant, is acceptable behaviour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1648/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

I am informed by the Garda authorities that on 6 September 1998, two gardaí from the Sundrive Road Garda station arrived at the home of the person to whom the question refers in order to execute an arrest warrant. I am further informed that this person identified himself as the person to whom the warrant referred and that he was subsequently arrested in accordance with the warrant and taken to Sundrive Road Garda Station.

I understand that at the Garda station he informed the gardaí that he was not the person on the warrant and that he used a number of names to identify himself. The gardaí at Sundrive Road contacted the investigating garda, who was off duty at the time, who subsequently visited Sundrive Road station, where he confirmed that the person to whom the question refers was not the person named on the warrant. I understand that this person was then immediately released from custody.