Specialised Garda units 'too stretched' to investigate domestic abuse cases

AGSI general secretary Antoinette Cunningham and AGSI president Paul Curran show their support to the Ukrainian police force with a standing ovation at the AGSI conference in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney, on Tuesday. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Garda units that were established specifically to deal with domestic abuse and sexual crimes are so overstretched that they cannot investigate domestic abuse unless it involves rape.

Detective Inspector Brian Downey said that he wanted “to correct” figures given by Deputy Garda Commissioner Shawna Coxon, that more than 300 gardaí are now working on domestic violence cases through divisional protective services units (DPSUs).