Interpretation in Police Stations: Lawyers’ Perspectives on Rights and Realities

Abstract Limited attention has been paid to the realization of the right to interpretation in the police station. What has been done often focuses on the police or the interpreter experience. We seek to address this lacuna by focusing on the extent to which the right to interpretation is realized in Ireland. We start by outlining the nature of the right at international and European levels, and exploring the reasons why the right is so important. We consider how this has been implemented in Ireland, and note how even on paper there are significant, fundamental concerns as to how the effectiveness of the right is achieved. We then present findings from semi-structured interviews with over 40 criminal defence solicitors in Ireland, with experience of attending police interviews. The findings show that solicitors have concerns about the process of securing interpreters, the quality of the work, their independence, their understanding of their role, the overall impact on the process and the urgent need for training. It is abundantly clear that the right cannot be effectively realized under the current system in Ireland, despite the Directive on Interpretation being in effect there. Further, we note that solicitors are often uncertain and unclear on the extent of the right and what they can ask for. This means that those who are defending the rights of the detainee are unlikely to challenge breaches as they occur. The right to interpretation is clearly deeply neglected and ineffective in Ireland.