Garda facing disciplinary hearing for helping elderly man

Thanks, even more shocking after reading that.

This was during Covid remember when elderly people were like prisoners in their own home. Think about how lonely this man was with no socialising now during Covid.

Sure my own parents never left the house and I used to drop up groceries to them and have a quick chat in garden as we couldn't go in.

As I mentioned before they were to ring Gardai if any problems and needed help doing shopping, collecting prescriptions etc so how the F**k could this happen to a Garda who lent an elderly man a bike during this time!

He even left the sticker on it from Gardai Station.

The whole thing is a disgrace, some of those investigators seem to think that are in the FBI or something, raiding both houses over a bike!

Did no-one anywhere shout stop this is ridiculous!

Sad part is someone mentioned early must have been someone in his own station who reported him and that does seem to be the case.

Absolutely brilliant article. Really raises several questions and issues that we wouldn't know about.

I completely get how ludicrous it is when put in this context. But I also get how it happened, because senior Gardai don't want to be seen as involved in something dodgy or untoward so they follow the "proper procedure"

It's just such a shame that this proper procedure doesn't account for anything. Yes, I want Gardai to be accountable. But this shows just how accountable they are, to the point where we and the community lose out if they are reluctant to assist in this way in future, or give a lift in a rural area to an elderly person to the doctors or pharmacy.

Also, his point that 99 Gardai are currently suspended but many of these have also already been cleared of any criminal offence makes me wonder how many other similar incidents there are. Those guards simply didn't go to the press about them.

What I take from it overall is 1)the bike didn't have an owner and was being disposed of anyway. I'd rather an elderly man get it for a loan than a private auction company taking it and making money off it.

2) road he policing authority have a great system in theory. And the spokeswoman there believes in such a system. As do I. But not when applied like this. I don't want my tax money wasted on a policing authority that doesn't actually know what it supports or leaves it's guidelines so broad, it harms Gardai. I also don't want my money hounding people who do good.

An absolutely ridiculous scenario and the people of Ireland want and deserve accountability. I think that has now gotten to the point that it has harmed normal common sense and public good. From chasing burglars on the m50 to lending an elderly man a bike. Nobody is more accountable for simply doing their job it seems.

" 99 Gardai are currently suspended " you write? If so, I wonder if they are all on full pay and their cases taking three years each, as the relatively simple case of a missing bicycle took? Would that be costing the taxpayer over €8,000,000 per year, given that the average earnings of Gardai, according to the government's own c.s.o., is €82,348.17 per year?

I’m actually surprised just how muted overall the union has been throughout this so called “case”.

DPP made a decision two years ago I think that no prosecution should take place- that didn’t stop the Gardai senior management insisting on their pound of flesh and decided to press ahead with disciplinary process - two fcking years , something like 5 fcking breaches of discipline put against this poor Garda with 30 years service and many many commendations, many of them recent - and ZERO found against him at the end of all of this. All over a fcking bicycle- a dawn raid suspension loss of earnings, obvious follow on depression as a result loss of standing in community - all over a fcking bicycle that was lent to an elderly man in need throughout covid lockdown - it’s fcking insane.

Garda senior management are fcking taking the piss- THEY should be suspended and investigated for presiding over this sh1t show and the Garda in question promoted before he retires

I hope the Garda in question is doing OK- he has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of and should hold his head up high.

@MichaelDHiggins- President of Ireland - if you want to stir some sho1te, which you’re well known for doing -give this Garda an award of some kind- stick it to the pr1cks that stitched up this Garda,

Let me guess- you got “done” for a “bag of weed”. 🤪

Of course any employee in any job who is suspended has the right to be paid, until the disciplinary process has concluded there is no finding of wrongdoing against them.

BUT for a garda it's a big financial loss, as there is only basic pay, no shift allowance, unsocial hours etc etc which make up a large chunk of income for many if not most gardai. So even if exonerated they have lost out financially (as well as any perceived / actual adverse effect on their career, standing in their community, social life, even strain on marriage/relationship)

I would hope that most suspensions are less than three years, and as I said there is only basic pay paid during that time, so your figure would be way off.

How original, bet you're great craic with a pint of black in your hand.

Must be very upsetting for some to see the perch being knocked.

What, too soon? 😀

If you can't or won't even try to spell properly, don't expect your silly post to be taken seriously. What's a 'gard'?

If you insist on not referring to guards by their proper name, you won't garner much respect.

"The warrant was secured the day after the garda had told a superior he had given the man the bike, suggesting the NBCI probe was already under way.

The day after that, on June 4, six officers from the NBCI in three garda cars arrived at the officer’s home at dawn."

Surely whoever ordered this operation should have to explain and justify what would appear to be a grossly inappropriate deployment of Garda resources and personnel when the force is currently suffering from understaffing, especially in rural areas.

You don't sign up, you apply. And its one of the most in demand jobs in the state. How many positions on publicjobs.ie receive 5000 applications a year?

Absolute bollocks. Not only is the garda doing better, they are doing far better.

Job security, massive pension, massive lump sum on retirement, extremely early retirement, own credit union, paid overtime, no need to upskill.

Also you embarrass yourself with that Math. Unless Garda management are earning millions, an average figure for earnings is fine. Thing is, as they are public servants all payslips should be public. Of course the public sector don't want us knowing just how much they are creaming it, so that isn't going to happen.