Pepper spray ‘could reduce risk’ to force

THE safety of gardaí on the beat is being compromised because of a lack of resources in some parts of the country, the head of the Garda Representative Association claimed yesterday.

GRA president John Egan also said pepper spray needed to be introduced across all divisions “as a matter of urgency” due to the increased severity of attacks on members of the force.

Contacted for comment after an incident in which a garda was injured in Co Tipperary, Mr Egan said the south-east part of the country did not have sufficient numbers of gardaí.