Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy vowed today that any member of the force who broke the law would be dealt with no differently than other sectors of society.
The commissioner made his comments after Garda Headquarters released details of 31 criminal cases against members of the force since 2005.
Of the 31 cases, seven were for drink-driving, with five reaching prosecution, one struck out and the other pending.
The other cases were in respect to road traffic offences, theft, assault, harassment, liquor licensing offences and possession of cannabis.
Seven gardaí were dismissed as a result of the cases, and internal Garda disciplinary proceedings were begun in all cases.
Commissioner Conroy also pointed out that 31 cases out of a force of 14,000 while "unacceptable" was not unexpected.
The details of the cases were released after newspaper reports yesterday.
Senator Joanna Tuffy, Labour's justice spokeswoman in the Seanad, called for the introduction of a new disciplinary code and for the full operation of the Garda Ombudsman Commission.
She said that while the majority of gardaí are "decent, honest and hardworking members, committed to serving the public, strong measures are needed to deal with the minority who chose to do otherwise."
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