Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Michael McDowell (IND), National University of Ireland

I move amendment No. 14:
In page 10, line 2, to delete “do either or both” and substitute “do any or all”.
The purpose of amendment No. 14 is to make textual space for amendment No. 15.
The purpose of amendment No. 15 is to widen the power to search a person to include to "search any container or wheeled carrier or luggage which the member suspects to be or have been in the control or possession of a person suspected under this section or to have been abandoned by any such person;”." It seems to me that it should not be narrowing the power of search to the person. A member of An Garda Síochána might say, "You seemed to drop a rucksack" or "Who owns that rucksack? I am going to look at that as well." That seems to me a sensible thing. Likewise, I have to say, unfortunately, prams are used and so are tow trolleys for goods going in and out of shops and the rest of it. If one of those is not actually in the physical possession of a person who is stopped, what I wanted in this amendment was to make it clear that a garda could search those things as well.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10