ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the right to legal advice/assistance during police custody in Ireland, tracing its wayward development path from the 1970s to its current iteration, through domestic developments and those at the European level. It argues for the practical and effective protection of this right, as an important safeguard for persons in garda custody and/or subject to garda interview. The role of a garda station lawyer is explored in detail, along with an examination of a number of practical issues which are hampering the operation of the right in the contemporary Irish context, including cost, selection, and solicitor availability, amongst others.
