Assaults against members of the gardaí are rising to an “alarming” rate.
That is according to Ballina based deputy Dara Calleary, who is calling for a minimum five-year jail term for anyone who assaults a member of the Garda or an emergency worker.
“According to the Garda Representative Association, the number of attacks against gardaí is likely to reach 1,000 this year,” said Deputy Calleary. “This is an alarming figure. We cannot stand by a situation where the people that we trust to keep our communities safe are being attacked so regularly in the course of their everyday duties.”
Two years ago Deputy Calleary published a bill to introduce the five-year minimum jail term. He is now calling again for that proposed legislation to be introduced.
“I believe that anyone who threatens, assaults or causes harm to an on-duty garda must feel the full rigour of the law,” said Mr Calleary. “This must also apply to firemen, ambulance workers, nurses, and prison officers. We need to send the message out loud and clear that threatening a member of the Gardaí or any emergency worker will not be tolerated.
