Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This is one that everybody is well aware of. It was quite a topic. There was outrage last year in respect of a garda being arrested – in fairness, the Commissioner came out and spoke about it subsequently – in relation to a bike being stored at a midlands police station, which was given to a bachelor farmer. He was arrested on 4 June and he gave it on 3 May. The DPP directed no charges quickly, and there was then a follow-up investigation that went on for a number of years. The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation called to the garda’s house to arrest him, and he told them that the bike was at the farmer’s house. The farmer was not present at the house, so he could not consent to anyone entering the property. How was the bike seized? The item was used in an exhibit in the DPP file, where no prosecution happened, and in the board of inquiry, which found that the garda did nothing wrong. What warrant was used to enter the property?