Dáil debates

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Garda Operations

2:25 pm

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On Saturday, children and other young people were placed in a dangerous situation. If people are throwing themselves at Garda cars or other vehicles, clearly the gardaí have to protect them.

There is a long tradition of peaceful protest in this country. The Garda Síochána has a responsibility to monitor and help ensure the protests take place. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Ireland on a whole range of issues and the protests went peacefully.

The Deputy asked about cost with regard to the current situation and the kind of behaviour that means the Garda Síochána must be present at protests, but the costs I am concerned about include Garda time, the costs to equipment and vehicles, and the potential costs of life-threatening and serious injuries that could take place due to some of the behaviour at the protests. I am very concerned about those costs.

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