The death of a Dublin man who was hit by a car driven by an off-duty garda will be the focus of a full criminal investigation resulting in a file being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
However, Garda sources say that early indications are that the dead man, Derek O'Toole (24), Shancastle, Clondalkin, was lying in the road when the car driven by the garda struck him and killed him.
The driver of the car, which was carrying three other off-duty gardaí, was "considerably under" the legal limit when tested for alcohol, garda sources say.
Supt Kevin Donohoe of the Garda Press Office said if any members of the public had misgivings about how the investigation was being conducted they should contact gardaí. "It will be done absolutely professionally, absolutely 100 per cent. This will be done in the same professional manner as every other investigation."
The Garda inquiry is being led by Supt Mark Curran of Lucan Garda station and Det Chief Supt Hubert Collins. The garda driving the vehicle that killed Mr O'Toole is based at Blanchardstown Garda station in west Dublin.
He was arrested at the scene of the collision in Lucan village and was then taken to Harcourt Terrace Garda station in the city centre where he was tested on an intoxyliser machine. The driver was taken for the test to Harcourt Terrace because nearby Lucan Garda station does not have an intoxyliser. There is an intoxyliser at Blanchardstown Garda station, however he could not be taken there to be tested because he is based there.
Garda sources also said the integrity and independence of the investigation was best served by taking the garda outside his own division to be tested.
