Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

As to the route chosen, as the Deputy will see from the report from the Garda Síochána, the original application of the FAIR group was to assemble in O'Connell Street and march to the Dáil. They were told by the Garda Síochána that it was customary when having a political demonstration in Dublin to use Parnell Square as the assembly point and to move from there to the Dáil. That is the only significant input the Garda had in regard to the projected route of the march.

On the Deputy's point about gardaí not having helmets and the like available to them, a decision was made which is clearly documented in the material I provided for the House that the public order unit would be kept in reserve and that the ordinary uniform would be worn by gardaí escorting the parade. That is the explanation as I understand it.

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