Garda chief denies spray cans a ‘step’ to armed force

CLAIMS that the introduction of pepper spray to help incapacitate violent people was “a step along the way” to arming the force were denied by Garda commissioner Fachtna Murphy.

While more than 3,000 gardaí are armed, he said it was their intention to remain an unarmed, uniformed force.

Commissioner Murphy said: “I have no intention of going down the road of arming the guards. We have policed this country since 1922 as a uniformed unarmed force and we will continue to do that.”