A Garda has claimed his promotion to the rank of inspector was held up for over seven months after he was the subject of "false" and "baseless accusations" of wrongdoing in an incident where he had to shoot a large dog that was set on him.

Inspector Tom Quinn, who was fully vindicated following a GSOC investigation of an incident that occurred in December 2018, was due to be promoted to Inspector in January 2019.

However, due to the accusations against him, the High Court heard, his promotion was held up until late August 2019.

As that delay had pension, pay, seniority, reputational and future promotion implications for him, the Inspector sought to have his promotion backdated to January.

That application was refused by the Commissioner.

As a result, Inspector Quinn, who is stationed in Mullingar Co Westmeath, has brought judicial review proceedings aimed at having the Commissioner's refusal to backdate his promotion quashed.

Claims rejected

The inspector also seeks an order that his promotion be backdated and a declaration that the failure to backdate it beaches natural and constitutional justice.

The Commissioner, who fully accepts that Inspector Quinn was cleared of any wrongdoing, opposes the application and rejected claims that the refusal to backdate breached the Inspector's rights or impugned his good name.

Paul McGarry SC for the Inspector said his client had been "fully exonerated" following a GSOC investigation to the firearm incident.

His client has, throughout...

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