AGSI condemns 'abhorrent' treatment of garda at Dublin Bay South count centre

Dublin by-election candidate Dolores Cahill being refused entry for refusing to wear a face mask during the Dublin Bay South by-election count at the RDS last Friday. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has called the treatment of a garda at the Dublin Bay South by-election count centre “abhorrent.” 

The incident the AGSI refers to occurred last Friday, July 9, when UCD professor and anti-lockdown campaigner Dolores Cahill was prevented from entering an election count centre in Dublin after she refused to wear a face mask.

Ms Cahill, who ran as an independent candidate in the Dublin Bay South by-election, attempted to push through a number of gardaí and security officers to gain access to the count centre at the RDS.

She told the garda there was “no requirement” to wear a face mask into the centre and wrongly claimed the presiding officer has “no authority” to stop her from overseeing votes being counted.

She also told gardaí she would make a citizen’s arrest as she was not allowed to enter the count centre.

The AGSI called the treatment of a garda at the Dublin Bay South by-election count centre  'abhorrent'. 

Speaking at the July meeting of the AGSI National Executive on Wednesday, general secretary Antoinette Cunningham said “the accusations, vitriol, and sustained verbal attacks” on a member of An Garda Síochána alongside his colleagues were “utterly condemned” by the AGSI.

Ms Cunningham said the association was “greatly concerned at the level of abuse directed at members which this incident highlights".

“Policing Covid-19 has been an extremely challenging environment for members of our association, who have stepped up, and responded to, our national crisis with unwavering commitment.

“So to see colleagues being abused in this way is reprehensible,” she said.

“We would like to remind the public that Covid-19 restrictions are not Garda regulations but Government measures introduced on grounds of public health.”