“One rule for them” – Gardai want the addresses of officers charged with criminal offences to be withheld from public

Middle-ranking gardaí are seeking greater protections for members of the force who face criminal charges.

The annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors is expected to hear calls for officers’ home addresses to be withheld in court proceedings and replaced with the address of the station where they are based, reports The Mirror.

Typically, court reports include the home address of an accused individual, but the AGSI — which represents around 2,600 supervisors within the 14,400-member force — is proposing that this should not apply to gardaí.

The proposal is one of 13 motions to be discussed by 165 delegates at the conference, which begins today in Westport, Co Mayo and will run for three days, reports The Mirror.

The motion, put forward by members from the Roscommon/Longford division, argues that withholding home addresses would help safeguard both officers and their families.

Those behind the motion are calling on Justin Kelly and Jim O’Callaghan to recognise the sensitive and high-risk nature of policing roles, reports The Mirror.

The motion states “The Garda Station address where the member concerned is stationed should be given as opposed to their home address. This will ensure the rights, dignity and welfare of the members and in particular that of their family members are taken into consideration/adhered to,” reports The Mirror.

The conference, which will be addressed by both the Minister and the Commissioner, will also consider proposals to reform the current suspension system within the force.

AGSI members say they have lost confidence in existing suspension policies, reports The Mirror.

Delegates are expected to hear that some gardaí remain suspended for long and undefined periods, with investigations sometimes taking years to conclude.

The association is now calling for independent oversight for cases where members are suspended for extended periods, reports The Mirror.

This follows a situation in Limerick where several gardaí were suspended for six years as part of an investigation into Fixed Charge Penalty Notices, with those suspensions recently lifted after acquittals or dropped charges.

The AGSI is seeking an independent review of suspensions lasting more than 12 months and warns the current approach is failing both officers and the wider organisation, reports The Mirror.

“A system that leaves members suspended indefinitely, without clear timelines or independent oversight, is not a system that can command confidence,” said AGSI General Secretary Ronan Clogher, reports The Mirror.

The conference will also address concerns over increasing levels of online abuse directed at gardaí.

The association says there has been a rise in cases where members are personally targeted on social media and is calling for greater supports and protections, reports The Mirror.

In some instances, officers’ identities, homes, and families have been exposed online simply for carrying out their duties.

Attention will also turn to the challenges of policing Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency, which will take place from July to December, reports The Mirror.

AGSI has warned that the масштаб of the event will place significant pressure on Garda resources.

“Crime will not stop for the EU Presidency, and our members are already stretched,” said AGSI President Declan Higgins, reports The Mirror.

The association is seeking assurances from the Government and Garda leadership that sufficient resources will be available without affecting routine policing.

Delegates will also consider a proposal from Kerry representatives to pause the rollout of electric vehicles until adequate charging infrastructure is in place at stations, reports The Mirror.

Meanwhile, members from Tipperary — where the Garda College in Templemore is located — are calling for all recruits to be fully vetted before beginning their training.

Currently, some recruits, particularly those born overseas, begin training with only partial vetting completed, with the process finalised during their time at the college, reports The Mirror.

This has resulted in some recruits failing vetting shortly before they are due to graduate, reports The Mirror.

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