Call for law against attacking gardai

RANK AND file gardaí have called on Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern to create a new offence of attacking gardaí and other emergency services workers.

President of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) Michael O’Boyce said the level of violence on the streets of Ireland was so high that the Government needed to take immediate and definitive action.

“Statistics show that an average of two gardaí are assaulted every day of the year in this country,” he said. “That is an intolerable situation. There’s also evidence to show that that trend extends to other members of the emergency services.”

It was “right and proper” that the Government introduce the proposed legislative changes to send a message to emergency service workers and the public that such attacks would not be tolerated.

People working to preserve “life, peace and stability” deserved the additional protection.

GRA general secretary PJ Stone said violence across Ireland had become so extreme and so normalised for some sections of society that “horrific murders” were “being committed almost without the blink of an eyelid”.

Despite the increased violence, the Garda accepted it needed to maintain a professional service within the new economic environment. In a reference to the Garda recruitment and promotions moratorium, Mr Stone said maintaining standards would “create its own challenges”.

“Our people at the front line of policing will have to be given the resources. They will certainly have to be given support. We’d like to see the colour of the Government’s money in terms of legislation [relating to attacks on gardaí].

“That’s something that’s not going to cost anything, but it would send a strong signal to gardaí that they are not being forgotten.”

The GRA will use its annual conference to debate the introduction of Taser stun guns.

The association is calling for blood tests for any attacker who bites or stabs a garda with a syringe. It wants training for members in the handling of dangerous dogs following one recent incident in Galway when a dog was deliberately set on a garda.

Delegates are also set to debate a range of motions around the need for more gardaí and the greater deployment of personnel to rural areas to respond more quickly to emergency calls.