Gardaí to be issued with pepper spray

Pepper spray canisters are to be issued to gardaí on an individual basis in the wake of a growing number of attacks on unarmed officers.

The move has been approved by the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern and Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy following a recommendation from the Garda Inspectorate Kathleen O'Toole in the wake of the Barr tribunal report.

All unarmed gardaí will be issued with aerosol cans containing a chilli-pepper concentrate at a total cost of around €250,000. The money is to come out of the Garda's exisiting budget.

"Over the past number of years there has been a marked increase in both assaults and obstructions experienced by Garda members in the course of their duty," Mr Ahern said at the Garda Passing Out ceremony in Templemore today.

He told the graduation ceremony that assaults on gardai had more than doubled between 2005–2007.

"The introduction of incapacitant sprays by police in other jurisdictions has been found to be a contributing factor in reducing such assaults and injuries to police officers," he added. "It was also found that the use by police of such sprays has been a factor in reducing injuries to suspects as well as a reduction in allegations of excessive force against Police Officers."

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) welcomed the announcement. “We are pleased that this is going ahead in the interests of the safety of the members of the force and of the general public,” AGSI general secretary Joe Dirwan said

“We made a strong case for it in our submissions to the Inspectorate and in our representations to the Commissioner, and we now urge him to proceed immediately with the issue and with the necessary training for all members.”

Mr Dirwan said the spray was “far less likely” to cause serious or lasting injury than the batons used by the force. “We hope that the very knowledge that gardaí have this spray will act as a deterrent to those who might otherwise engage in violence,” he said.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) called for all gardai issued with the spray cannisters to be "properly trained in their use" and said its health effects needed to be fully tested prior to teh widespread introduction of the cannisters.

"Pepper spray weapons – including their active ingredients and their chemical solvents and propellants – can have damaging short and long-term effects on a number of bodily systems and functions," ICCL director Mr Mark Kelly said.

"These weapons are particularly dangerous if used against people whose health is impaired or on young people" he concluded.