Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is no contradiction. The country needs more gardaí and the Government is actively recruiting more gardaí with the Garda Commissioner. This is happening alongside a scenario where the Garda Commissioner says, to use his phrase, he has the operational integrity to police protests. There has been in Dublin city alone well over 125 protests, or so-called protests on occasion, in terms of anti-immigration. The overwhelming majority of them have passed off peacefully and have been policed well. On occasions things have happened that have been utterly reprehensible. It is entirely right in a democracy for Deputy Ó Ríordáin and others to come into the House and ask questions about policing. I do not take from this at all.

The only thing I would say, and in fairness Deputy Ó Ríordáin has acknowledged it, is that the Garda gets to look at the whole picture and look at things in the ground. Gardaí follow intelligence. On occasion, where appropriate, the Garda monitors the actions of anybody who may pose a risk to our community. Gardaí look at how they can de-escalate situations. In the specific situation, and I am conscious there is an ongoing investigation, my understanding is the protest was dispersed and gardaí had done a very good job, and then, unfortunately, somebody returned to the scene and committed a vile act which was utterly reprehensible.

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