Representatives of rank and file gardaí have called on Garda management to revisit the possibility of allowing officers to carry pepper sprays. John Downesand Conor Lallyreport.
The move follows an incident in Cabra, north Dublin early yesterday morning which required a female garda, Amanda Lynch, to be hospitalised. Student garda Zihao Weng was also treated for facial injuries in the Mater hospital in Dublin following the incident.
It is understood that Garda Lynch was treated for an abdominal injury. A hospital spokeswoman said both had been discharged last night. A third garda was also injured as the officers attempted to arrest a man on Fassaugh Avenue shortly after 1am.
Two men were yesterday charged in relation to the incident, and are due to appear in court on Wednesday.
Another man arrested at the scene was released without charge pending the preparation of a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) condemned the attack. GRA president John Egan said members of the force were increasingly dealing with violent incidents. He believed Garda management needed to reconsider a recent decision not to supply all members with pepper sprays.
The provision of sprays was recommended this year by the Garda Inspectorate. Former Garda commissioner Noel Conroy, who retired last week, rejected the recommendation.
A Garda spokesman yesterday said the Government had approved the use of pepper sprays by the Emergency Response Unit. "This will be evaluated and the matter given further consideration," he added.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said after visiting the two gardaí in hospital: "I want to condemn this attack on three gardaí, one of whom was a student garda, in the early hours of this morning while they were going about their duty protecting the community."