Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
739. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of times members of An Garda Síochána discharged a firearm during the course of their duty in 2019 and 2020; and the number of times persons sustained gunshot injuries in 2020. [1922/21]
View answer740. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of times members of An Garda Síochána used pepper spray in the course of their work in 2019 and 2020; and the breakdown of the use of pepper spray in 2020, by county. [1923/21]
View answer741. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of times members of An Garda Síochána used tasers in the course of their work in 2019 and 2020; and the breakdown on the use of tasers in 2020, by county. [1924/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 739 to 741, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. I, as Minister, have no direct role in these matters.
An Garda Síochána have supplied me with the figures in the below table with regard to the use of OC ('pepper') spray, tasers and firearms by members of An Garda Síochána during the year 2020.
I have also requested information from the Garda Commissioner with regard to the year 2019 and the number of times persons sustained gunshot injuries in 2020, however it was unfortunately not possible to compile it in the time available.
I will write to the Deputy directly with the information requested, when it is available.
It should also be noted that figures for the use of Firearm includes the 40mm launcher used by the Armed Support Units, which is a non-lethal weapon.
|
2020 |
OC Spray |
Taser |
Firearm |
|
Jan-20 |
107 |
0 |
0 |
|
Feb-20 |
62 |
1 |
0 |
|
Mar-20 |
73 |
0 |
3 |
|
Apr-20 |
73 |
2 |
2 |
|
May-20 |
89 |
4 |
3 |
|
Jun-20 |
72 |
4 |
1 |
|
Jul-20 |
76 |
4 |
5 |
|
Aug-20 |
80 |
5 |
1 |
|
Sep-20 |
79 |
5 |
0 |
|
Oct-20 |
54 |
4 |
0 |
|
Nov-20 |
55 |
2 |
1 |
|
Dec-20 |
87 |
3 |
1 |
|
Total |
907 |
34 |
17 |
|
2019 |
2020 |
|
|
Incapacitant Spray |
969 |
907 |
|
Taser |
28 |
34 |
|
Firearms (Including 40mm Launcher) |
3 |
17 |
|
Division |
2019 |
2020 |
|
DMR South Central |
11% |
14% |
|
Cork |
10% |
8% |
|
DMR South |
5% |
7% |
|
DMR North Central |
4% |
6% |
|
Donegal |
8% |
5% |
|
DMR West |
6% |
5% |
|
DMR North |
5% |
5% |
|
Limerick |
3% |
4% |
|
Galway |
3% |
4% |
|
Tipperary |
5% |
4% |
|
Waterford |
3% |
3% |
|
Wicklow |
2% |
3% |
|
DMR East |
2% |
3% |
|
Cavan/Monaghan |
4% |
3% |
|
Laois/Offaly |
3% |
3% |
|
Kildare |
4% |
3% |
|
Kerry |
4% |
3% |
|
Louth |
4% |
3% |
|
Kilkenny/Carlow |
2% |
3% |
|
Sligo/Leitrim |
2.5% |
2% |
|
Westmeath |
1% |
2% |
|
Wexford |
2% |
2% |
|
Meath |
3.5% |
2% |
|
Roscommon/Longford |
1% |
1% |
|
Clare |
1% |
1% |
|
Mayo |
1% |
1% |
|
2 |
Members of the Public Sustained Gunshot Injuries |
|
*1 |
Fatal and 1 Non-Fatal |
