THE STATE HAS paid a serving detective €270,000 in a settlement arising out of his three year suspension for giving a loan of a bicycle to an elderly farmer near his home. 

The garda, who is stationed in the midlands and who had done nothing wrong, had sued the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and Attorney General. That claim has now been settled in the last two weeks. 

After media coverage and a political and public outcry the garda was cleared of any wrongdoing and was returned to work. 

At the time the Garda Representative Association (GRA) had called out the disproportionate nature of the probe and likened it to cracking “a nut with a sledgehammer”. The GRA has raised concerns over draconian discipline in An Garda Síochána.

Sources have said that the garda, stationed in the Midlands, had given the bike to the man but had failed to fill out the necessary paperwork. 

When the incident, known as Bikegate, came to light the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris suspended the experienced garda and directed the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), who investigate the most serious offences, to probe the incident. 

Detectives from the NBCI carried out searches under warrant at the garda’s home and in the station in June 2020. They also retrieved the missing bicycle from the elderly man’s land.  

It is understood that the settlement agreed with the detective has a confidentiality clause built into it to prevent him speaking to the media about his treatment. 

Today, the GRA’s General Secretary Ronan Slevin welcomed the settlement. 

“While I am unaware of the exact details or terms of any confidential settlement, I can categorically state that this is a case that should never reached this point.

“This was a clear case of a rural garda doing his duty and helping out an isolated and vulnerable member of his community during Covid and he was pursued like a criminal. This member was left suspended for years without clear and fair process, which to me is shameful.

“I am just relieved that common sense has finally prevailed and we hope a lesson has been learned here in the value and importance of compassionate community policing and the benefits of recognising such for the good of our members and the public we serve,” he said. 

Damien Tansey, the solicitor representing the garda did not respond to a request for comment when contacted last Friday by The Journal.