Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he plans to establish regional Garda support units with trained negotiators and non-lethal weaponry for hostage taking and other critical situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14159/08]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the concern expressed by the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors regarding proposals from the Commissioner that certain uniformed Gardaí would be required to carry firearms in their Garda vehicles; his views on the concerns raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14045/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 48 together.

The Garda Commissioner is establishing Regional Support Units (RSUs) in the Garda regions outside Dublin to act as a primary response to critical incidents, pending the arrival of the Emergency Response Unit. These RSUs will be drawn from the existing regional Garda resources and the Gardaí involved in these teams will receive training relevant to the role. It was an important recommendation in the Garda Inspectorate's report on barricade incidents that a second tier response capability should be established to allow rapid initial deployment to critical incidents in regional areas.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that RSU members will operate in regular Garda uniform and in marked Garda vehicles. Where appropriate, RSUs will have the capacity to respond with firearms and less lethal devices. However, it is intended that when operating in armed response mode RSU members will, for identification purposes, wear apparel similar to that currently used by armed, plain-clothes Gardaí when they are carrying out armed duties overtly.