Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

We have significantly increased funding for public order policing over the past year. We have invested in a water cannon and further fleets. It is costing us money for public order policing. As the Deputy is recognising, however, we need to recognise the right of people to protest. If we look at the weekend, the Garda did a very good job. There were two ongoing protests. One was a group of people protesting about immigration. Another was a group of people protesting against the people who were protesting about immigration and who were supportive of immigration. It was potentially an explosive environment. The Garda policed it extremely well and it passed off peacefully. There is money spent on it, but what we cannot do is say this is costing us €50 million a year and we are going to limit the number of protests that can take place. People have a right to protest, they are entitled to do it, but that right has to be exercised peacefully. If it is the case that protests become violent, the Garda is prepared for it. There has been significant investment over the past while in public order policing. Those facilities will be available for gardaí should anyone be foolish enough to try to turn a protest into something violent.