Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will appreciate, since he has drawn my attention to the subject matter of a dispute between Garda management and a representative association, it would be unwise and unhelpful for me to comment on this issue either way.

I assure the Deputy that members of the armed response units are highly trained and equipped with a variety of non-lethal and lethal weapons and perform an outstanding service, including high-visibility armed checkpoints and patrols throughout the southern region. In order to ensure and maintain the capability and capacity of these armed support units, a competition to select, train and allocate additional personnel for the regional armed response units recently commenced. I assure the Deputy that every effort will be made to reach a form of accommodation on the point as raised.

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