Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan has promised a full review into events outside Leinster House this week. Ms O’Sullivan met the Committee on Procedure and Privileges on Friday over concerns about security after a protest on Wednesday that left a garda in hospital. The garda was knocked out after a large traffic cone was thrown, hitting hit her on the head.
The commissioner told the committee the Garda response was “proportionate and balanced” but she would be expecting a full report. There had been some arrests and she expected there would be more in the coming days.
Senators Mary Moran and Denis Landy had to leave their cars after they were blocked from driving out the Kildare Street exit, while former minister for justice Alan Shatter said his car was kicked at and he was verbally abused as he tried to enter the House.
The Garda Commissioner said she respected the primacy of politicians entering the House and gardaí did their best to facilitate that. The protest began with 10 or 15 people and grew rapidly to several hundred after others heard about it on social media. Ms O’Sullivan said gardaí reacted to the escalation by increasing their numbers in a short period of time. She added that it was difficult for the Garda to judge the size of a demonstration in advance.
After the meeting, which took place in private and lasted 40 minutes,
Ms O’Sullivan said the majority of people who attended Wednesday’s protest were peaceful. “However, a small minority of individuals went beyond what could be described as a peaceful protest and engaged in the type of behaviour which resulted in the injury of a female garda,” she said.
“Given the significant increase in the number of protests in recent times, a review is being conducted to ensure the safety of the general public and members of An Garda Síochána is balanced with the democratic right to protest.”
Labour Senator Moran said she was satisfied with the response. “I couldn’t fault the gardaí, their response was amazing but they were under extreme pressure. They showed huge restraint as they were being punched at, spat at and verbally abused,” she said. “At the end of the day, TDs and Senators should have a right to come and go as they please.”
The Garda Representative Association’s national executive defended the actions of gardaí, saying they had shown restraint in difficult circumstances. Spokesman Damien McCarthy said the GRA took the challenges of security at the national parliament seriously and rejected any assertion gardaí were negligent.
