Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

In the course of the planning, all available policing methods were considered, including the use of water cannon. However, its deployment was ruled out on the basis of the information available. The PSNI possesses six water cannons which can be made available to the Garda if requested. The decision was made not to deploy them as they were not considered suitable for the occasion. I spoke to the Commissioner and he acknowledges the resources are there if he considers it a wise expenditure of money to purchase water cannons and have them on stand-by. His judgment is preferable to the judgment of most of us, and he takes the view that it would not be appropriate to use resources on such expenditure.

A total of 348 members of an Garda Síochána were on duty in the city centre last Saturday, dedicated exclusively to the task of policing the demonstration. That is a significantly higher number than would normally be deployed for an ordinary demonstration on O'Connell Street.

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