The High Court has approved a €60,000 settlement for the family of a garda who, with another colleague, died when their 10-year-old patrol car, with no airbags or side-impact system and described by the dead garda's family as "sub-standard", crashed into a metal electricity pole while pursuing a stolen car.
Mr Justice Johnson remarked that it was "not acceptable" that young men who risked their lives every day to protect the ordinary citizens of this country should not be given the best equipment and training. "We at least owe them that," he said.
The relatives of the late Garda Garrett Harmon (29), Sandyhills, Rush, Co Dublin, also urged that better resources be given to gardaí and asked: "How many other guards have to die needlessly before a change is made?"
The relatives of Garda Harmon said they had taken proceedings against the Minister for Justice and the State to highlight the lack of training and resources within the Garda Síochána.
Garda Harmon died alongside Garda Conor Griffin, Roselawn, Lucan, Co Dublin, four years ago.
They said they found it hard to accept that the two gardaí had died in a vehicle that had clocked up more than 114,600 miles and had no airbags and no side-impact system.
In their proceedings, Garda Harmon's family claimed there had been a failure to provide a safe system of work for their son and safe and adequate vehicles for him in the course of his duty.
It was also claimed that he had been permitted to use a vehicle which was not fitted with airbags or other suitable restraints that would cushion the impact of a collision.
There had also been a failure to properly instruct and provide training for the deceased, it was pleaded.
Garda Harmon and Garda Griffin died in the accident at Glasanaon Road, Dublin, on May 15th, 2000. The High Court action was taken by Garda Harmon's father, Noel, on his own behalf and that of his wife, Violet, son, Trevor, and daughter, Shona.
The defendants denied the claim and alleged contributory negligence.
Mr Richard Keane SC, for the plaintiff, said Garda Harmon appeared to have lost control of the vehicle and it struck the metal electricity pole. There was a 24-ft skid mark which would be consistent with a speed of just 22- to 26 m.p.h.