Policing

Dr Cian Ó Concubhair explores whether proposed new legislation contains adequate safeguards for journalists and publishers. Earlier this month, the Minister for Justice put the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2021 before the Oireachtas.

People who have submitted complaints to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) have been invited to share their experience for the first time in a study ahead of the watchdog's restructuring. Dr Vicky Conway, one of Ireland's leading researchers on policing, has invited people

A consultation is seeking views on whether the maximum penalty for injuring service animals on active duty in Northern Ireland should be increased for the second time in five years. Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots yesterday launched a consultation on proposals to prot

The Policing Authority scrutinised An Garda Síochána last year on enforcement of Covid-19 restrictions, diversity, sexual crime and domestic violence, the vulnerability of children and anti-corruption. The watchdog today published its annual report for 2020, a year which it admits was

The inquiry into undercover policing operations in England and Wales has referred the first suspected miscarriages of justice identified through its investigations to a dedicated panel set up by the Home Office. The case, involving 12 individuals, relates to an incident on 12 May 1972 when political

Police powers of search, arrest and detention will be placed on a "clear and transparent" statutory basis through new legislation announced today. Justice Minister Heather Humphreys has published the general scheme of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill, which will implement one of the ke

Thousands of 999 calls about domestic violence were ignored by gardaí between 2019 and 2020, an ongoing internal investigation has found. Concerns have been raised by domestic abuse charities about the scale of the issue, which first came to light in late 2020.

An internal review by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has concluded it was right not to charge politicians who attended the controversial funeral of republican Bobby Storey. The PPS initiated a review process after receiving three formal requests to re-examine decisions taken in relation to a g

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has launched an investigation into an allegation of race discrimination in the police handling of a Black Lives Matter protest in Derry last summer. A member of the public who took part in the protest on Saturday 6 June 2020 has alleged inconsistencies in th

Prosecutors were right not to charge politicians who attended the controversial funeral of republican Bobby Storey because there was no realistic prospect of them being convicted, a report has found. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the P

The RUC failed to effectively investigate the killings of four people by police officers at the start of the Troubles in 1969, the Police Ombudsman has found. In a 128-page report published today, Marie Anderson said there were significant operational and investigative failures by the RUC in relatio

The draft heads of legislation providing a legal basis for the deployment and use of body-worn cameras by An Garda Síochána have been published following government approval.

The draft heads of legislation providing for the "most wide-ranging and coherent reform of policing in a generation" have been published. Justice Minister Helen McEntee yesterday published the general scheme of the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill.

Compensation claims by gardaí for injuries sustained in the line of duty will be brought within the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) process under new legislation. Gardaí currently have to apply for authorisation from the Department of Justice to seek compensation in the High

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal brought by the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána against an award of damages for false imprisonment, rejecting arguments that damages for unlawful detention could not be awarded where the plaintiff would have been lawfully detained if correct