Suspended gardaí paid €1.3m
Suspended gardaí have been paid €1.3m despite being unable to carry out any official duties, it emerged today.
The 27 officers are the subject of disciplinary proceedings for various alleged offences, such as involvement in drug dealing, the stealing of uniforms and the planting of a sawn-off shotgun.
Fine Gael Justice spokesman Jim O’Keefe said he was concerned that such a large sum of money was being spent, particularly when four of the 27 gardai had been suspended for more than one year.
“It is a clear indication that the system is not working properly. We need a stream-lined system that will provide due process,” he said.
The Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has the power to suspend officers on 75% of their salary if they are accused of serious offences which are likely to lead to disciplinary or criminal proceedings.
However, these proceedings can be delayed for years by court challenges.
This is the reason for the long-running suspension of two officers who have now been on leave for nine and seven years respectively.
Detective Sergeant John White, who has been suspended for four years, has obtained a judicial review to prevent the institution of criminal charges against him for allegedly planting a sawn-off shotgun at a traveller camp in Donegal in 1998.
Last week, he was granted an injunction from the Supreme Court to prevent the Morris Tribunal from beginning its investigation into the incident.
Mr O’Keefe, who obtained the information on the cost of Garda suspensions in a Dáil question, said he was aware that gardai were often the subject of vexatious complaints.
“As a solicitor, I defended members of the Garda Siochana before disciplinary hearings and defended them successfully – they were innocent.”
But he said that for the public to have confidence in the Garda force, there needed to be a system whereby justice was done quickly.
Justice Minister Michael McDowell said he had received a report from the Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy on the suspensions.
“I am very concerned the lengthy court proceedings lie behind the four cases of lengthy suspension, and I am examining whether strict maximum time limits for suspension can be introduced in statutory regulations.”
Mr McDowell said the 27 gardaí suspended from all ranks at a cost of €1,301,527.82 represented 0.2% of the force.
However, this number is significantly higher than in 2003, when Mr McDowell told the Dáil that six members of the force were suspended from duty.
He said it would be inappropriate to comment on any of the gardaí currently suspended because some of them were before the courts and others were facing possible criminal charges.
In February, a Garda was suspended for allegedly being connected to the discovery of 13,300 ecstasy tablets worth €220,000 at an apartment in Drogheda, Co Louth.
Last month, a Dublin-based Garda was suspended from the force for allegedly stealing uniforms and supplying them to a theatre company.
