Adrialik Voda: difficulty

Lack of vetting for garda interpreters has resulted in an illegal Chinese immigrant being hired by the force and has prompted calls for an immediate overhaul of the current ad-hoc system.

At present, if a foreign national presents at a garda station and translation is necessary, officers either choose an interpretation agency from the Golden Pages or check the notice board for flyers offering interpretation services, often from unverified sources.

While many garda stations use recommended interpretation agencies upon the suggestion of colleagues from other districts, gardaí say the current system is "deplorable" and is leading to problems. Within the last two months, a garda at Dublin's Bridewell station checked the status of a Chinese interpreter he had engaged and discovered this person was illegally in the state.

A lack of academic checks of interpreters' qualifications is also leading to frequent problems in court when it emerges so-called translators cannot do their job properly. This problem was seen at a trial a week ago when an interpreter for Albanian man Adrialik Voda, who claimed boxer Steve Collins assaulted him in Dublin, ran into difficulty during translation. Another interpreter's services had to be engaged before the case could proceed.

Some agencies offering interpretation services to gardaí are notable for paying poorly. As a result, gardaí say agencies with low professional standards can be engaged.

Michael O'Boyce, president of the Garda Representative Association, said, "There is an onus on the garda authorities to regularise the situation and provide a standard service throughout the country. It is slightly embarrassing to hear someone who is not even supposed to be in the country has been hired as an interpreter."