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MINISTER FOR JUSTICE Frances Fitzgerald has said there are no plans to strengthen laws that protect emergency services staff from attacks.
However, frontline staff believe that more could be done to protect them.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Independent TD Terence Flanagan, who asked if current laws are sufficient, Fitzgerald said current legislation recognises “the gravity of any attack on emergency service personnel and members of An Garda Síochána who are carrying out their duty”.
“The penalties which are in place clearly underline the seriousness with which such attacks are viewed,” she said.
Under Section 19 Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, anyone who assaults a medical worker or peace officer could face up to seven years in prison, while impeding their work could result in a six month sentence.
The Minister continued:
Particular liaison is maintained with fire services and local authorities in the run up to Halloween and on Halloween night itself, in the context of overall policing plans to respond to issues of public safety and anti-social behaviour which can arise during this period.
Responding to the same question from Flanagan, Community and Local Government Minister Alan Kelly said attacks on emergency services personnel are “completely unacceptable”.
Chairman of the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association (IFESA) John Kidd said that this is a particularly dangerous time of year for emergency staff.
“I would urge members of the public to watch their kids, and to ensure they know what they’re up to,” he said, “and for communities to support the fire services and all other emergency staff on Halloween night.”
Kidd stressed that although it may seem to children that the fire brigade are simply ‘ruining their fun’, smoke from a bonfire can cause serious respiratory issues.
On the protection of staff, he said that the majority will experience some form of assault every year.
“There isn’t adequate protection for members, and if we do get injured, they risk losing our financially if they do not recovery quickly.”
Kidd added that he would like to see more laws passed to ensure that staff are protected.
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Was thinking about a bike to work type incentive for peoples gardens, I know every garden is different, aspect, neighbours etc but a number of templates, set it up with a college re design etc.
So many gardens wasted but most people have no idea what to put in
@Seamus Brady:Tell that to the army of distinguished power washers who have made it their life’s ambition to obliterate every living thing with death by water jet.
@Seamus Brady: I think that the new admiration for faux grass lawns says it all, people don’t want the maintenance. Currently converting some of my lawn to a flower meadow. Will take some work and the grass has the upper hand for the moment but saw one interesting idea while researching it: people think lawns are low maintenance, they’re one of the most high maintenance needing cutting every one to two weeks during spring, summer and autumn, a healthy meadow only needs to be cut once a year so it’s much easier to maintain.
@Diarmuid Hunt: Check out yellow rattle plant if you haven’t seen it yet. It’s called the meadow maker. And best of luck!
@Bill Spill: Already have it, thank you though, more people need to know about yellow rattle/hay rattle. I got ripped off buying it from a specialist shop, a friend told me it’s readily available in farmer’s co-ops. For those that don’t know it’s a semi-parisitic plant that weakens grass so that native wildflowers have a better chance at taking hold.
@Diarmuid Hunt: its a great idea,good luck with it!
Replaced my lawn with wild flowers five years ago, looks so much better, smells great, attracts and feeds bees and other pollinators. I would like to see all urban greens (obviously not playing fields)turned to wild flower meadows. Better still we should be turning over all our unproductive land to nature and an outright ban on non native forestry.
have your say