13 August 2020
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has written to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to request information about the presence of gardaí and the Public Order Unit at an allegedly illegal private eviction yesterday. The eviction occurred at 7 Berkeley Road in Dublin’s north inner city.
Video footage emerged this morning which showed gardaí inside a private dwelling as an allegedly illegal eviction was occurring, interacting with the tenants and informing them they “had no right” to be there. It is reported that the tenants had not received proper notice of the eviction and that at least one of them is in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). The tenants are now receiving assistance from Inner City Helping Homeless.
ICCL also asked the Commissioner for an update on Guidelines on garda attendance at private evictions, long called for by the Garda Ombudsman (GSOC). ICCL considers An Garda Síochána should not be playing a supportive role in private evictions unless it is a necessary and proportionate response to actual or threatened criminal behaviour.
ENDS/
Find the letter to Commissioner Harris here: https://www.iccl.ie/200813-iccl-letter-to-garda-commissioner/
In 2017, ICCL wrote to the Commissioner regarding an eviction at North Frederick St: https://www.iccl.ie/news/garda-misconduct-frederick-st/
For media enquiries Sinéad Nolan:sinead.nolan@iccl.ie 087 4157162