Assault, drugs, drink driving: Garda suspensions reach 1,317 days long for conduct breaches

Eva Osborne

Drink driving, drug use, and assault are some of the reasons members of An Garda Síochána have been suspended since 2022.

Figures obtained by BreakingNews.ie through the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act show the longest time spent on suspension from the force over the last three years was 1,317 days.

The length of suspensions for members who committed behaviour breaches was between 32 and 1,317 days in 2022, 13 days and 983 days in 2023, and 28 days and 552 days in 2024.

There were a total of 44 suspensions in 2022, 27 in 2023, and 18 last year.

The reasons for the suspensions included:

• Assault;
• False imprisonment;
• Breach of DVA Order;
• Burglary;
• Discreditable conduct;
• Coercive control;
• Corruption;
• Criminal conduct;
• Improper practice;
• Drink driving;
• Drugs;
• DUI;
• Fatal road traffic accident;
• Forgery;
• Fraud;
• Harassment;
• Improper association;
• Misconduct towards a member;
• Misuse of garda resources;
• Neglect of duty;
• Perverting the course of justice;
• Sexual reasons;
• Theft.

Garda disciplinary findings found there to be 118 cases of neglect of duty in 2022, 305 in 2023, and 87 in 2024.

There were 65 cases of discreditable conduct in 2022, 51 in 2023, and 34 in 2024.

Last year, there was one case of criminal conduct, while there were six in 2022 and none in 2023.

There were a total of 11 cases of falsehood/prevarication or corruption/improper practice last year.

These figures represent the number of breaches under each category where a finding of 'in breach' was determined in garda disciplinary investigations.

The outcome of the investigations into breaches by members of An Garda Síochána in the last three years would end in either a monetary penalty or a non-monetary penalty.

Last year, there were 53 monetary penalties imposed, while there were 28 in 2023, and 53 in 2022.