Emergency workers attacked ‘every 30 hours’

The equivalent of one frontline emergency worker providing vital help to the public is assaulted once every 30 hours — the highest rate in half a decade.

New Department of Justice figures show ambulance, hospital, garda, and fire brigade staff suffer physical abuse every day despite the essential support they give to those in need.

According to figures, 1,551 incidents were reported by frontline workers between Jan 2006 and Dec 2011.