Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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509. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if ambulance personnel will be covered under proposed increases in sentences for attacks on essential frontline workers. [11137/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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We are grateful to all frontline workers who play such a vital role in the communities they serve. It is imperative that these people are able to perform this role in a safe manner and the law reflects the importance of this.

There are a range of robust legislative provisions available to the Garda authorities in circumstances where threats or assaults are made against front line workers.‎

Any assault causing harm is an offence under section 3 of the Non–Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. A person convicted of such an offence is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to both.

The Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, currently before the Oireachtas, will increase the maximum penalty available for the offence of assault causing harm from 5 years’ to 10 years’ imprisonment. This will provide the Courts with a more appropriate range of sentences to take account of the gravity of each individual case in this category.

Assault causing serious harm is an offence under section 4 of the Non–Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 with the punishment for such a crime up to life imprisonment.

Furthermore, an assault on a member of An Garda Síochána, a prison officer, a member of the fire brigade, ambulance personnel, or a member of the Defence Forces would constitute an offence under section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.

A person convicted of such an offence on indictment is liable to a fine, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years, or both. The latter penalty was increased from a maximum term of 5 years in 2006.

I will shortly bring proposals to Government to increase the maximum penalty for assaults on members of An Garda Síochána and other emergency service workers, and my officials are currently considering the best approach to achieve this.

These changes will send a very clear message that attacks on frontline workers will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with robustly.