Officers from the Garda’s Emergency Response Unit arrested a 46-year-old man in Limerick last night as part of the ongoing investigation into serious crime in the city.
The ERU, backed by local gardaí, used a Taser during the arrest in the Rhebogue area of the city at about 10.45pm. The device, which delivers a debilitating electric shock, is one of the less-than-lethal weapons used only by the ERU.
A Garda spokesman said it was the first time a Taser has ever been used during an arrest in this jurisdiction.
The spokesman said an automatic pistol and two magazines were recovered from the man, who is believed to be a senior criminal figure involved in ongoing feuding in Limerick.
We're dealing with a group of people whose range of depravity is very deep indeed - Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan
According to reports, he is linked to the Keane-Collopy criminal gang. He is being held in Henry Street Garda Station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
ERU officers were equipped with Tasers following recommendations from the Garda Inspector Kathleen O’Toole last year.
The controversial weapons, widely used by other police forces, were also introduced in Northern Ireland in January. The PSNI has not yet used a Taser during an arrest.
Earlier this week, Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan rejected calls for mediation in the Limerick gangland feud, saying such an approach would give legitimacy to criminal gangs.
"We're dealing with a group of people whose range of depravity is very deep indeed," he said.
His comments came after a prominent Limerick solicitor, John Devane, who has represented many gangland figures in the city, revealed he had made recent efforts to calm tensions and would be willing to act as a mediator in any efforts to broker peace.
However, Mr Lenihan said the authorities must continue to directly confront those responsible. His comments followed similar statements by Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea after the two murders at the weekend that left two men dead.
Mark Moloney (40) was shot dead in the Garryowen area on Saturday afternoon, while the body of James Cronin (20) was found in a shallow grave on Monday. A third man narrowly escaped being shot in Limerick last week after a gun that was pointed at him jammed when the trigger was pulled.