Gardaí to 'insist' minister sets up task force to tackle violence

Garda Representative Association calls for urgent action to address escalating levels of violence against gardaí

Garda Representative Association interim general secretary Philip McAnenly: '[W]e intend to express these concerns further and insist that this task force is formed as a matter of extreme urgency.' File picture: Conor Ó Mearáin

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) will insist, when it meets Justice Minister Simon Harris next week, that the Government agree to the “urgent” establishment of a special task force on violence against gardaí.

The GRA sent letters to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin almost four weeks ago calling for a task force to address rising violence against gardaí and issues of morale and staff retention.

It is understood Mr Varadkar asked the GRA to refer the issue to the Department of Justice.

In a lengthy statement to the Irish Examiner, the Department of Justice declined to comment on the specific issue of the task force.

“Minister Harris condemns, in the strongest possible way, any attacks made on a member of An Garda Síochána,” it said.

“It is important that frontline workers are protected in carrying out their work — and there are already a range of robust legislative provisions available to the Garda authorities in circumstances where threats or assaults are made against Gardaí.”

However, the statement said the Government is “committed to taking further action to protect Gardaí and frontline workers as necessary”.

It said the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022, which is currently at second stage in the Dáil, will provide for the deployment and use of body-worn cameras by gardaí, which it said was recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing and advocated for by the GRA and other representative bodies.

Bodycams are worn by police forces around the globe including this policeman in Italy. Picture: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty

The department said the minister is also bringing forward the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which is now awaiting report stage in the Oireachtas, and said the minister hopes to see the bill enacted by this summer.

This bill will see an increase in the maximum penalty available for the offence of assault causing harm from five years’ to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The statement said there is already a specific offence of assault on “peace officers”, which includes gardaí, in section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 and that the maximum penalty for conviction on indictment is seven years’ imprisonment, increased from five years in 2006.

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“The minister also looks forward to meeting with the GRA later this month, and to continued support from the Government for An Garda Síochána to protect frontline workers,” said the statement.

In response to the statement, the GRA stressed its determination to press home its concerns about assaults and staff morale.

“The GRA have already outlined the urgent need for the creation of a special task force to address the serious concerns facing our members, in particular to the sharp increase in violent attacks and threats on frontline gardaí,” said GRA interim general secretary Philip McAnenly. 

“When we meet the minister we intend to express these concerns further and insist that this task force is formed as a matter of extreme urgency.”