TD denies referring to gardaí as ‘dogs’

A TD who denies she referred to garda officers as “dogs” in the Dáil chamber could be investigated by parliamentary authorities.

Socialist deputy Ruth Coppinger was at the centre of a bitter Oireachtas row after she complained about a wave of arrests of people in connection with anti-water charge protests in Dublin last November when Tánaiste Joan Burton was trapped in her car by demonstrators for more than two hours.

Ms Coppinger insisted the garda action was politically motivated and when she said the Government had “called out the dogs and called out a repressive policing response”, Fine Gael and Labour TDs erupted in fury, accusing her of insulting officers.