Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the participation by officials in his Department and the Garda in the Jane's conference on less lethal weapons taking place in Dublin on 19 and 20 October 2004; the number of officials who are participating; the positions and briefs of same; the number of gardaí who are participating and their rank. [25550/04]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities that three members of the Garda Síochána are attending the Jane's international conference on less lethal weapons on 19 and 20 October 2004. The members attending are of the following rank; assistant commissioner, detective superintendent and detective inspector. No officials from my Department are attending the conference.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the work to date of the Garda implementation team responsible for carrying forward the implementation plan for the introduction of less than lethal devices into the Garda Síochána; if the devices authorised by him for use by the ERU have yet been purchased or issued to gardaí; if so, the companies which are supplying the weapons and which makes were purchased; if the training syllabus is complete; if so, the components of the syllabus and the number of hours of training which are involved; and the number of gardaí who have completed the training to date. [25553/04]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda implementation team for the introduction of less lethal devices into the Garda Síochána is currently implementing a plan for the introduction of three less lethal devices for use by the emergency response unit where this is necessary to avoid the use of firearms. A total of 16 Garda members have been trained in the use of less lethal devices to date although it is not Garda policy to release precise details of training techniques for operational reasons. I am further informed that the following devices have been purchased from Armour Holding Limited and delivered to the emergency response unit: ferret olescium capresium rounds, drag stabilised bean bags and olescium capresium pepper sprays.