Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Garda Oversight: Discussion

1:10 pm

Dr. Richard O'Flaherty:

The Chairman does not need to tell me. One case involved a 45 year old diabetic lady, one or two of whose sons were rounded up routinely. When she went to see whether they were all right, she was arrested. Her daughter telephoned me in a panic to tell me her mother was an unstable diabetic and that she did not have her medicine. I telephoned immediately and told the detective in charge to give her her medicine and food on a regular basis – that was at approximately 2 p.m. – and that I would be along at around 5 p.m. When I called at 5 p.m., she had been given a cup of tea. She had three big detectives sitting in front of her and two to each side. She was sweating and clammy.