Foreign Gardaí

Gavin "shels" · 23-05-2009 9:43pm #1

Do you not have to speak some amount of Gaelige in order to arrest someone who is only Irish speaking? How is someone who only speaks Irish and doesn't understand English accept to state that they know their legal rights, what they're being arrested for, etc...?

Victor · 23-05-2009 9:50pm

All gardaí get lessons in basic Irish. Of course, there are few Irish people who have so little English that the don't understand they are being arrested.

During hte actual arrest, only basic details have to be given, they don't need to give every last details - that waits and I think its mostly written, only a few sentences need be spoken.

Gavin "shels" · 24-05-2009 1:10am

Cheers Victor, but my thing is say I only speak Irish and the Chinese/etc... Garda only speaks English, he asks me do I know my legal rights, etc... in English and I don't understand a word and instead reply with an Irish answer, what happens if he can't understand me?

Victor · 24-05-2009 1:15am

He uses his radio.

cushtac · 24-05-2009 1:20am

Gavin shels wrote: »

Cheers Victor, but my thing is say I only speak Irish and the Chinese/etc... Garda only speaks English, he asks me do I know my legal rights, etc... in English and I don't understand a word and instead reply with an Irish answer, what happens if he can't understand me?

The same thing that would happen if you only spoke Chinese - you'd be arrested, brought to the station and an interpreter would translate for you.

Gavin "shels" · 24-05-2009 1:52pm

Cheers lads.;)

Dandelion6 · 25-05-2009 6:32am

I don't think this is an issue only with foreign Gardaí. I've heard of cases where an Irish person was arrested by an Irish Garda, spoke to the Garda in Irish (which you're constitutionally entitled to do and to get an Irish reply, whether or not you understand English) and the Irish Garda was unable to reply.

seamus · 25-05-2009 9:14am

Dandelion6 wrote: »

I don't think this is an issue only with foreign Gardaí. I've heard of cases where an Irish person was arrested by an Irish Garda, spoke to the Garda in Irish (which you're constitutionally entitled to do and to get an Irish reply, whether or not you understand English) and the Irish Garda was unable to reply.

I'm pretty sure this is a myth. Not being able to answer you in Irish doesn't prevent you from being arrested.

suimhneas · 25-05-2009 9:31am

There are no Irish speakers who don't speak English. where did you come up with that gem? Guards that are on duty in the gaeltacht areas are supposed to have a good understanding or irish, but apart from that people use the arresting guard as not having irish as an excuse for their own benefit.

CantGetNoSleep · 25-05-2009 9:33am

Mostly this only occurs when someone is acting the pr1ck anyway, i'd say you could count the number of people who speak no English, only Irish, in this country on one hand

Whitewater-AGS · 25-05-2009 10:44am

Playing the "I only speak Irish card" will get you nowhere. Sure its just the same as arresting a Polish/Romanian/Chinese or whatever nationality who cannot speak english. You get arrested brought back to the station and once we've figured out what you speak an interpreter is called and then everything is explained to you.

So starting the I only speak Irish game will result in you being held in the station even longer, once informed of this people generally find they can actually speak cupla focal bearla!

Dandelion6 · 27-05-2009 5:16am

seamus wrote: »

I'm pretty sure this is a myth. Not being able to answer you in Irish doesn't prevent you from being arrested.

Erm, where did I say it prevented you from being arrested???

Exon · 07-07-2009 7:30pm

SNIPPED - Racism is not tolerated.

FruitLover · 07-07-2009 7:38pm

Gavin shels wrote: »

How is someone who only speaks Irish and doesn't understand English

Those people don't exist.

Exon wrote: »

No chinese Gardas arresting me

Have you got magic handcuff-proof wrists?

macy9 · 07-07-2009 7:40pm

If you ever watch Border Patrol on living you'll see that they use an interpretor on mobile phone loud speaker whenever they're trying to tell the illegal immigrant their rights and the reason why they're being detained.

Im sure it would be just the case if there was a language barrier for the garda.

snubbleste · 07-07-2009 7:53pm

FruitLover wrote: »

Those people don't exist.
Have you got magic handcuff-proof wrists?

Not true, i know a man who does not speak english, did not get much schooling in the 1940s and only speaks gaeilge.
He's in his 80s and watches Coronation Street but does not understand the conversation. He has lived in his area all his life, never emigrated to find employment and therefore had no need to learn another language. So people do exist who only speak gaeilge.

IT Loser · 07-07-2009 8:11pm

SNIPPED

IT Loser · 07-07-2009 8:16pm

snubbleste wrote: »

Not true, i know a man who does not speak english, did not get much schooling in the 1940s and only speaks gaeilge.
He's in his 80s and watches Coronation Street but does not understand the conversation. He has lived in his area all his life, never emigrated to find employment and therefore had no need to learn another language. So people do exist who only speak gaeilge.

He's not missing much then is he!!!:p

McCrack · 07-07-2009 8:19pm

IT Loser wrote: »

No, but I have a left hook very few Chinese can take. :cool:

Legal discussion forum. Relevance?

IT Loser · 07-07-2009 8:20pm

SNIPPED - Infracted.

Exon · 17-07-2009 8:22am

Have you got magic handcuff-proof wrists?

No but i've got two fists.

GerardKeating · 17-07-2009 8:30pm

Gavin shels wrote: »

Do you not have to speak some amount of Gaelige in order to arrest someone who is only Irish speaking? How is someone who only speaks Irish and doesn't understand English accept to state that they know their legal rights, what they're being arrested for, etc...?

I am sure there are many "non-foreign" Gardai whom would problems with copla focal..

Foreign Gardaí

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