GARDAÍ SHOWED OFF one of their new water cannon trucks today alongside some new body armour for public order policing and a new, stronger kind of incapacitant spray.  

An Garda Síochána held a press briefing today as they published a report on advances made in modernising the force since it began implementing a new plan in 2018. 

The report, entitled “Transforming An Garda Síochána”, covers a wide range of areas where the force has made changes to its operations, including introducing a new uniform, piloting the use of body cameras and moving away from handwritten reports. 

The most eye-grabbing part of the briefing was the array of different vehicle types on display in the headquarters’ courtyard. 

One of two new water cannon trucks at Garda HQ David Mac Redmond David Mac Redmond

Looming above them all was the imposing sight of one of the force’s new water cannon trucks, which are designed for use during riots and incidents of public disorder.  

The truck is mounted with two water canons that sit on top of the cab. 

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris signed off on the purchase of the two trucks in September of last year, part of the forces’ recent expansion of its fleet of vehicles. 

Water cannons mounted on the truck's cab David Mac Redmond David Mac Redmond

Each truck has the capacity to carry 5,200 litres of water. 

Gardaí in public order policing gear flanked the vehicle, with one of them modelling new body armour and a shield that will soon be rolled out for Public Order Unit members.

The garda also demonstrated a new kind of incapacitant spray that is stronger than the one already used by gardaí. 

A garda models the new body armour and shield as he demonstrates how to use a new incapacitant spray David Mac Redmond David Mac Redmond

According to the Garda report, “The acute risks of physical harm and psychological trauma that members of An Garda Síochána face in carrying out their duties remains a core concern for the organisation”. 

“The continuous need to protect, support and care for our personnel has been the basis for an extensive, cross-service investments in recent years,” it said.

Since the Dublin riots of 2023, gardaí said “significant investments have been made” in personal protective equipment for gardaí.

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Those include the new incapacitant spray and upgrades to body armour and defensive equipment available for Public Order Units. 

“This includes new shields, helmets, torso protectors and limb guards designed to protect gardaí involved in the policing of riots and significant public order incidents from blunt impacts, stabbing implements, flames and accelerants,” the report said.

The report has not received a positive response from the Garda Representative Association (GRA), who criticised the “glaring omission” of references to the ongoing recruitment and retention difficulties at An Garda Síochána. 

“Looking at this report today, one may be excused to believe that there are no issues at all with policing in Ireland,” said GRA deputy general secretary James Morrisroe.

“During the six years that this Report refers to, we have gone from a situation where we had almost 15,000 gardaí to just over 14,000, and this is at a time where the Irish population has exploded by almost 500,000.” 

Morrisroe said the GRA’s suggestions about how to tackle the recruitment crisis “appear to have been ignored”.