Two gardaí have been suspended after they became involved in a row while guarding the US embassy in Dublin when one of the officers went for a drink while on duty.
The garda who had been drinking was challenged by his colleague when he returned to the embassy in Ballsbridge in recent days.
A row ensued and the garda who had been drinking decided to give his firearm to a uniformed garda at the embassy. He then got into his car and drove away. He was stopped a short time later in the Ballymun area on suspicion of drink-driving.
The two Garda members who became involved in the row were the only two armed gardaí at the embassy at the time. Gardaí usually plan their meal breaks so that at least one armed member is on duty at the embassy at all times.
However, when one of the armed gardaí went for his break, his armed colleague decided to go for a drink. When he returned to the embassy from the pub, his colleague had also returned from his break and it was at this point that the argument ensued.
The officer who had been drinking gave his Smith and Wesson revolver to one of his uniformed colleagues to return to their Garda station in south Dublin at the end of their eight-hour shift.
A Garda spokesman confirmed last night that two members had been suspended pending an investigation into an incident while they were on duty in south Dublin. The garda who went for a drink is also facing the prospect of drink-driving criminal charges.
