Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026: Second Stage
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-22
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Rose Conway-Walsh (SF), Mayo

I thank Deputy Ward for sharing time. I want to talk about the offences under the Domestic Violence Act in this Bill. This is my first chance to talk about a profoundly courageous woman I have the privilege of knowing.
Margaret Loftus is a former member of an Garda Síochána who was married to another garda, Trevor Bolger. Trevor Bolger was violent, abusive and isolated Margaret from her family in Mayo. Events came to a head when Trevor Bolger viscously attacked Margaret and threatened to kill her after a family event. Margaret left Trevor Bolger, got a barring order and requested a transfer to Mayo to return to her supportive and caring family, who I also have the privilege of knowing. Margaret went through a horrendous ordeal in the family law courts and had a committal warrant served to send her to prison based on Trevor Bolger's assertions. Margaret was initially granted the transfer but shortly after, the behaviour of some gardaí became increasingly sinister. They began to interfere with her and her life.
It was very clear that an Garda Síochána, or some members of Garda Síochána, were siding with Margaret's ex-husband, barring order or no barring order. Her transfer was revoked so to remain with her family in Mayo, Margaret was advised to go on sick leave. While on sick leave, her pay was stopped on multiple occasions for spurious reasons. A disciplinary fine was attached to her file and taken from her wages, unknowingly to her, and was returned after she questioned it and followed it up, asking numerous times what it referred to.
Margaret requested the gardaí investigate her husband, his violence and his ongoing threats to kill her. Margaret could see on the Garda PULSE system that Trevor Bolger had checked her more than 20 times. Every time an incident occurred, he could see if she reported it or not. Margaret prepared her own investigation file and sent her statement directly to the office of the Garda Commissioner. While the investigation was under way - that is, while Trevor Bolger was under investigation for domestic violence and a threat to kill - he was promoted to detective, with glowing references from his sergeant and superintendent. He was given a gun.
Meanwhile, Trevor Bolger repeatedly looked Margaret up on the PULSE system and sent gardaí to her home in Mayo to carry out welfare checks on her children. Justin Kelly, who is now the Commissioner, was the first person to take her seriously. This gives me some hope. Margaret was emphatic in her statement that her journey through the family law courts was torturous. I believe her.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:32+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-22