People shoving camera phones at gardai while hurling abuse has to end – minister

Incidents involving people shoving camera phones in the faces of gardai and hurling abuse at them must end, the justice minister said, as she vowed to tackle “insidious” behaviour against members of the force.

Helen McEntee said the Government has increased the maximum sentence for attacks on officers from seven years to 12 because of the surge in assaults.

However, she has resisted changing the legislation to impose mandatory sentences for attacks on members of An Garda Siochana.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), which is holding its annual conference in Westport, has called for the changes.

Ms McEntee, attending the conference on Tuesday, said: “I acknowledge that it’s a really difficult environment. I would just acknowledge to the members here that I believe, in particular in recent years, more insidious behaviours have started to come through, not just online but in person.

“We have seen an increase in assaults. That’s why we’ve increased the mandatory sentence for assaulting a member of An Garda Siochana from seven (years) to 12, reflecting the seriousness of this.

“That’s why I’m introducing body cameras. It’s not just to support gardai in collecting evidence and bringing forward prosecutions, but also to protect them.

“The day now where people shove cameras in gardai faces, where there is abuse hurled at them, has to end and gardai have to have the ability to be able to record a situation as it actually happens and to provide that as evidence as well.

“I’m also making sure that, when we introduce facial recognition technology, if a member is to be assaulted, that that technology can be applied.

“This is an expansion of what we had originally proposed. That would be used for facial recognition, but I think it’s absolutely necessary and I hope that that sends a strong signal.”

The Fine Gael minister also said she has provided funding for mental health supports for gardai.

“I’ve worked with all of the associations, including the AGSI, to make sure that they can put those structures in place and that there is funding behind it,” she added.

Ms McEntee also said politicians face a threatening environment.

Earlier this month, a man was found guilty of phoning in a bomb threat to Ms McEntee’s home.

Michael Murray, 52, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to apprehension for the safety of someone while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, in 2021.

Asked how she feels about her personal safety, Ms McEntee said: “In the same way that we’re talking about gardai working in a more threatening environment, I think the same can be said for politicians, and for many other professions as well.

“It’s about making sure that we respond in the most effective way possible, and we try and keep people safe. I think that work is under way.

“We have an Oireachtas committee in particular that’s working closely with the Garda Commissioner (Drew Harris), with my own colleagues and members to make sure that any types of supportive measures are needed to keep people safe right across the board.”

She also said she would like to stay on as justice minister after the Cabinet reshuffle.

“It’s been a privilege to be appointed. It would be a privilege to be appointed again,” she said.

“But, most importantly, quite a lot of work that’s been done focusing on keeping our streets safe, our community strong, making sure our Policing Bill is implemented, making sure we get body cameras on gardai, making sure facial recognition legislation passes with other legislation as well.

“But of course that’s a decision for any Taoiseach.”