Armed units to combat gun crime

THE armed response units are being set up in the wake of barricade incidents, such as Abbeylara, and a rise in the availability of guns across the country.

In her review of the Abbeylara tribunal last March, Garda Inspector Kathleen O’Toole recommended the establishment of second-tier Garda response units to deal with barricade incidents pending the arrival of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).

The 2008 Policing Plan, published on Monday, announced the creation of such units to support front-line gardaí when confronted with an armed incident.