A consultant engineer has told the High Court he believes a Garda dog handler was potentially exposed to noise levels in excess of regulatory limits from barking dogs. Dogs tended to bark at about the same level and he doubted if dogs barked "in a whisper", Niall Lydon said.
Mr Lydon was being cross-examined in the action by Garda Thomas Donnelly (55) for damages for alleged hearing loss due to exposure to barking dogs. Mr Lydon said he had carried out tests on noise levels in a Garda dog handling van and had recorded 60 barks in 25 seconds at one stage.
On the basis of tests carried out, he had concluded there was potential for Garda Donnelly to be exposed to noise levels over the limits set out in regulations of 1999. Ear protection should have been worn, he said.
Yesterday was the third day of the case by Garda Donnelly against the Garda Commissioner and the State, who deny claims of negligence and breach of contract.
Garda Donnelly joined the force in 1974 and the dog handling unit in 1979. His main function was to patrol Dublin city in a Garda van with German shepherd dogs to deal with serious disorder-type problems.
Yesterday, Sgt Kevin Morrissey of the Garda health and safety section said when he travelled in the dog van to carry out noise tests in 1999, he estimated the animals were barking about 40 per cent of the time.
Sgt Morrissey, who was called on behalf of Garda Donnelly, said it was his job to keep the Garda Commissioner abreast of latest thinking and best practice in relation to safety.
He took readings from the two types of Garda dog vans, one large and one small, on four dates in 1999.
The hearing before Mr Justice John Quirke continues today.