Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-26
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Lynn Ruane (IND), University of Dublin

I move amendment No. 2:
In page 6, lines 25 and 26, to delete “other place at which a person may be held while in the custody of An Garda Síochána” and substitute “vehicle”.
This amendment simply proposes to delete the words "other place at which a person may be held while in the custody of An Garda Síochána" and to insert "vehicle". It seeks to narrow the definition of a "Garda custody facility" in the Bill to a Garda station or a Garda vehicle. We believe that the definition in the Bill as it stands is far too wide. There is no clarity in the current definition of "other place". It could feasibly include any location, including locations that are unmonitored or unregulated.
Current statutory regulations are specified in the Criminal Justice Act 1984 for the treatment of persons in custody in Garda stations. The 1987 An Garda Síochána stations regulations outline clear provisions for the treatment of persons who are held in Garda stations. However, these regulations apply to these settings and no regulations are in place for those outside of Garda stations. Can the Minister give us clarity as to where he envisages these other places to be? Will they be the private detention facilities that will be established under the International Protection Act? How does he anticipate the wideness of the definition that has been applied? I note that we have concerns that the protections granted to persons who are detained in Garda stations will not carry over to other places that might be used for detention. Regardless of what the Minister might say in relation to this, the Bill as drafted does not provide this clarity as it is currently written on paper. Without that clarity in the legislation, we believe that this definition may require amendment.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-26