Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Tom Clonan Compared with other EU countries, Ireland has a high rate of gun violence - so why is our government so complacent?

Gardai responding to armed incidents are usually unarmed and untrained in firearms.

THIS WEEK SAW the Garda Representative Association call for a dramatic expansion of the number of Armed Support Units throughout the country. 

Gardaí on the ground are becoming increasingly concerned about the growth of violent gun crime in the Republic. 

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), ‘Weapons and Explosives’ offences rose by more than 10% in Ireland in just one year between 2017 and 2018 – to a total of 2,248 incidents. 

While there are major problems with the recording of our crime statistics, it is evident that we have a gun-murder rate six times worse than Britain. 

The statistics

Serious crime has been systematically under-reported in the Republic over the last decade. 

The CSO recorded a total of 77 homicides in Ireland for 2018 but worryingly it also said that the quality of the statistics given to them by the Department of Justice ‘do not meet the standard required of official statistics published by the CSO’. 

The CSO says that the number of homicides reported between 2003 and 2016 was underestimated by approximately 18% meaning that some 234 deaths were not recorded during that period.

Despite these omissions, we can still see some startling trends in murder in Ireland. 

In the 10 years between 2005 and 2015, 201 Irish citizens were killed by firearms. 

During the same 10-year period, in Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) a total of 454 citizens were killed by a firearm. 

When you factor in that we have a population of 4.6 million people, while the population of Britain is 65 million, it is apparent that our gun-murder rate is six times greater than theirs. 

Indeed when you look at gun-murder rates across the EU Ireland has one of the highest rates out of all 27 member states. 

We have a major problem with gun violence on this island.

Recent high-profile shootings

This problem has been dramatically demonstrated in two high profile shooting incidents on this island in the last number of weeks. 

On 18 April, journalist Lyra Mc Kee was shot dead in Derry by a member of a dissident republican group styling itself the ‘IRA’ or ‘New IRA’. 

The perpetrator fired a 9mm automatic handgun, at point blank on rapid fire – at PSNI personnel. Lyra was tragically struck in the head and killed in this reckless act.

Exactly one week later, on 25 April, in Drogheda, a gunman fired a 9mm automatic handgun – also at point blank and rapid fire – at an innocent workman and passers-by in the Hardmans Gardens estate. 

The modus operandi of both shootings was identical. 

In both cases, handguns similar to Glock Automatic Pistols, which are readily available to both dissident paramilitaries and organised crime gangs, were discharged in a rapid-fire frenzy with the intention to kill and without regard for the safety of ordinary members of the public. 

In the case of the Drogheda shooting, as is clearly visible from the video of the incident, the shooter narrowly misses a child walking past the house in question.

Calls for back-up

It is within this context that the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has been calling for an increase in the number of Armed Support Units (ASUs) throughout the country. 

Their call also comes in the midst of a spate of high profile ATM thefts involving gangs both north and south of the border. 

These ATM thefts have become international news and bring the state of law and order on the whole island into international disrepute. 

Members of An Garda Síochána also believe that one of the gangs involved in the ATM thefts were also involved in the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donoghue in January 2016. That murder was also with a firearm. 

The GRA has asked for 24-hour ASU back-up for each of the 31 Garda Divisions. 

This highlights that at present ASUs are only dedicated on a regional basis in the six nationwide regions and the Dublin Metropolitan Region. 

Sources within the gardaí state that in some regions, the ASU is expected to cover areas that extend for hundreds of kilometres from Malin Head in Donegal to urban centres such as Sligo town. 

In other Garda Regions, there is no 24/7 cover by ASU due to rostering issues and personnel shortages. 

As a consequence, most policemen and women, responding to armed incidents involving firearms, are ordinary rank and file gardaí. 

They are unarmed and untrained in firearms and the tactical responses required in such situations. As a back-up, in many cases, local detective units, armed with handguns are expected to deal with organised crime gang members armed with high calibre automatic rifles and machine pistols. 

This is an unacceptable situation for gardaí, as well as for ordinary members of the public.

Decades behind other forces

Compounding these issues of training and equipment are serious shortfalls in the fleet available to An Garda Síochána with most Garda Divisions experiencing chronic shortages in transport.

In addition, most gardaí here lack the basic in-car and handheld IT equipment that are standard issue in other European Union police forces. 

Most readers will be familiar with TV staples such as Motorway Cops or Traffic Cop, where British police are routinely equipped with IT equipment that allows them to determine, at the side of the road, the complete history of a vehicle and its occupants, including criminal record and outstanding warrants for arrest. 

An Garda Síochána have no such infrastructure and are required to do 21st-century policing with wooden truncheons and often with their own mobile phones.

It was with such a lack of proper IT back-up (including warnings on the potential danger from firearms) that Garda Tony Golden was murdered by a gunman while responding to a routine domestic violence incident in 2015. 

All of the Garda Representative organisations, the GRA and AGSI, as well as recent Garda Commissioners, have stated repeatedly that An Garda Siochána is ‘decades’ behind other police forces in terms of numbers, equipment, training and resources. 

In 2016, Garda Commissioner Noreen O’Sullivan admitted on the record that our police force was ’20 years’ behind in IT and other key skill sets. 

This week, members of the GRA used unprecedented language to describe the Minister for Justice as ‘negligent’ with regard to proper policing supports in Ireland. 

Other words, such as ‘despicable’ were used by front line gardaí to describe plans by newly appointed Commissioner Drew Harris to cut Garda recruitment – at a time of increasing gang violence and paramilitary activity on the island.

‘Mind-boggling’ was also a term used by delegates to describe the mismatch between the reality of a chronic, crisis point, lack of resources on the ground – and grandiose claims by the Minister and senior civil servants that the gardaí enjoy ‘unprecedented’ support.

I do not believe that Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan is ‘negligent’ about gun crime in Ireland but I do believe that he and his cabinet have become complacent about crime and security on the island. 

A perfect storm

Now in the context of Brexit, we are facing a perfect storm in relation to the ramping up of paramilitary and terrorist activity on the island along with the continued proliferation of the violence and activities associated with drug gangs. 

Many organised crime gangs are getting ‘Brexit Ready’ with ATM thefts and the extension of their lucrative drug trade into regional hubs – such as Drogheda and other urban centres nationwide. 

Collaboration between such gangs and paramilitaries is well established, particularly as it applies to the supply of firearms into this jurisdiction. 

In this manner, and in many others, including extortion, drug dealing and racketeering in illegal fuel and cigarettes – the shootings in Drogheda and Derry are connected. 

The inter-connectedness between so-called ‘organised crime gangs’  and terrorists on this island are not to be underestimated. Their activities will expand rapidly with the advent of Brexit – hard border or otherwise. 

Through their complacency, our government has sleepwalked into a situation where we have one of the worst rates of homicide by firearm in Western Europe. 

The Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice can begin to address this by investing in our hollowed out police service and in our Defence Forces, which is also in crisis. 

This is surely the most important way in which we can get Brexit-ready – it is literally a matter of life or death. 

Dr Tom Clonan is a security analyst and former captain in the Irish Defence Forces.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

View 41 comments
Close
41 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 7:50 PM

    Knowing that you will be able to retire at 50 financially secure on a pension costing in the region of EUR1.5million must help on the gloomy days.

    167
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Davoren
    Favourite Anthony Davoren
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:06 PM

    @Sean: you’re talking nonsense. U can’t retire at 50. And I’ve yet to see a guard a millionaire after retirement. The pension is of small concern after dealing with fatal accidents and suicides at your workplace. Can u even imagine facing those situations?

    329
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronan Quinn
    Favourite Ronan Quinn
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:08 PM

    @Sean: When you’re not part of the solution Sean, you’re part of the problem. You sir are part of the problem. They pay into their pensions as do all in the economy. Having a pension isn’t any good when the quality of life listed above is as poor as is quoted.

    237
    See 18 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Albert Brennerman
    Favourite Albert Brennerman
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:14 PM

    @Sean:
    Yea Sean thats actually a total MYTH and a Lie that is never corrected by media.
    If a Garda so much as gets paid any form of PRSI after retiring she loses 33% of her pension. So at 50 presuming (someone joined at 20 )a Garda is getting maybe 400 euro take home but if they work any job they lose their PRSI component so you need all debt gone, children done with college etc and you could make it.
    And when they hit 66 after paying their pension they remove the PRSI component anyway and replace with OAP. So your pension now worth 26000 -12600. The Garda pension is worth about 13000 a yr topped up with social welfare because your forced to retire by 60…..
    Why are you forced to retire – >
    Because you don’t really want 50 year old Garda Pops it doesn’t suit the work so you want them to go. So you top up a 13000 euro pension with basically OAP until they die.
    Probably read up on it all available online but nobody likes to say it. Avg age of retirement 56 I think.

    84
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:17 PM

    @Anthony Davoren: I’d direct you to the first line of the GRA pension website. A member may retire at age 50 subject to having completed 30 years of service.
    https://gra.ie/information/pension-retirement/

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:22 PM

    @Albert Brennerman: A Garda retiring at 60 with a €102,000 lump sum and €34,000 pension would have their pot valued at €1.8 million, including the spouse’s benefit. That makes the average retiring Garda a millionaire.

    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/public-sector-pensions-worth-millions-new-figures-show-1.3143604

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronan Quinn
    Favourite Ronan Quinn
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:37 PM

    @Sean: It does not make the average Garda a millionaire you fruit cake. You just said they get €34k p/a! Anyway, what relevance has your incorrect view on pensions got to do with the article is about mental health and PTSD.
    No amount of money would make life bearable if they’re suffering from PTSD.

    82
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colonel Grant
    Favourite Colonel Grant
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:59 PM

    @Sean:

    Absolutely correct. Gardai, of all ranks who joined prior to April 2004, are entitled to retire at 50 years of age provided they have 30 years service. In addition some Gardai who joined prior to 1983, can retire at 50 with only 25 years, can retire on a slightly reduced pension, if they opted to do so. Gardai who joined after 2004 must work till 55 and serve 30 years. A Garda Sergeant now retiring at 50 receives a gratuity of just under 100,000 euro approx and annual pension of 34,000 approx.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 9:01 PM

    @Ronan Quinn: An annuity pension that pays out €34K per annum would cost in the region of 26 times that to purchase. That brings you up to 884K. The 100K+ lump sum brings the total to over one million.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Davoren
    Favourite Anthony Davoren
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 9:24 PM

    @Sean: I think you’ll find that is not the case. It’s 55 now. Get the up to date facts. I like how you completely ignored my other point also. You are a troll

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute jagmerc
    Favourite jagmerc
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 9:30 PM

    @Sean: ya but it does not mean that a person is a millionaire

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eugene Comaskey
    Favourite Eugene Comaskey
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 9:55 PM

    @Sean: don’t know where ya got your figures from mister. The rank and file gardai are retiring on small pensions, and only a small number retire at 50 , they can stay till 60 , and a lot do so because they cannot afford to leave and live on half pay.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colonel Grant
    Favourite Colonel Grant
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 9:56 PM

    @Anthony Davoren:

    Incorrect again Anthony. It’s 55 for they guys who joined after 2004 (April). On the downside of course Gardai who joined prior to 1995 do not get any form on contributory OAP, as they,pay a very reduced rate of PRSI. This is why several Gardai retire in their early fifties, and take up alternative employment where they pay full PRSI and provided they make the required contributions, ten years I think, can then avail of a full OAP pension, in addition to their Garda pension.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 10:47 PM

    @jagmerc: A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. If a guards pension and lump sum exceed €1million euro when purchased on the open market that would make him / her a millionaire, yes. What part of this can’t you get?

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 10:49 PM

    @Eugene Comaskey: well I think it should be obvious where i got my figures from as I posted links to both the GRA and the Irish Times website.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 10:55 PM

    @Anthony Davoren: I think you’ll find that you said guards can’t retire at 50. That statement was incorrect even if that perk has been revised to 55 for new entrants clearly it still applies to the majority of the current workforce. The other part of your comment about it being such a tough job I ignored but I certainly wouldn’t disagree with this sentiment.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Jp Kelington
    Favourite Brian Jp Kelington
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 11:35 PM

    @Sean: its 58

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Albert Brennerman
    Favourite Albert Brennerman
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 12:45 AM

    @Sean:
    Yes Sean Irish TImes knows more, and in austerity , sure no Agenda when that was written.

    Tell you what Sean you are so knowledgeable tell the readers here what is allowed into the calculation for a Garda pension ? Half Salary , Half Earnings per year ? Do they work loads of overtime in last few years ramping it up ? Please inform us.

    Please inform us this scam is continuing, where they all laugh to the bank and never attend car accidents, suicides, home assaults, lads puking on your clothes, kids in the middle of it, all that stuff that someone seems to look after but sure couldn’t be the rich Garda in the midst of all that, maybe its the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny.

    Also Do an FoI see how many Gardaí retire age 50.

    Hey OAP at 67 lives for 20 years walks away with 1/4 of a Mill. SCANDAL Them boys in Armani day in day out living the dream too. Hey Sean, tell the readers, Do Gardaí get that as well ?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 10:57 AM

    @Sean: Jesus Sean, every time you comment that number goes up. It was a million not so long ago

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:01 AM

    @Sean: so, that’s including their spouses pension allowance AND the public state pension that they get through prsi. Wow, a whole 34k!

    Huge money, huge after paying 7% of your pay including overtime for 30 years and including the 12k that everyone gets even if they never worked.

    So, all they have to do is live until about 90 to reap the rewards. Yeah, that’s common alright

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David B Kelly
    Favourite David B Kelly
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:00 PM

    @Anthony Davoren:

    Advanced Paramedics/ Paramedics and fire fighters face this type of scenario on a regular basis.
    At least in the guards and fire service you can retire at a decent age and one would hope in good health.
    Medics have to have 40 years completed before they are entitled to a pension. It’s a fair amount of your life .

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Canny Jem
    Favourite Canny Jem
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:41 PM

    I’m very surprised that this has not been recognised long before now. In fact, I wonder do new young raw recruits to An Garda Síochána, Fire Brigade and Ambulance Services receive any training in how to deal with whatever they find at traumatic RTA or fire scenes, like what one Garda said in the report above.
    Garda personnel, like Fire Brigade and Ambulance personnel, being the first responders at a traumatic scene can have life-long memory images that do give rise to the disorder of PTS.
    A severe case in point was when, a few years ago, first responders to a RTA had to face the scene of a speeding car that had had its roof sliced off after going under the back of a truck, and finding the six young occupants had been decapitated. A number of the Firemen and Gardaí who attended the scene had to leave their jobs because they couldn’t face such a scene again.
    My hat’s off to all brave first responders who have to face traumatic scenes – and clean up the bloody human mess. Somebody has to do that job.
    I really would like to know if Gardaí and other first responders receive any realistic Pre-Trauma scene training, and if it’s effective.

    113
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:05 AM

    @Canny Jem: gardai do not get any welfare support. Paramedics and fire have mandatory follow ups within 24 hours.

    The gardai that dealt with that tragic incident in Donegal where the car went off the pier got no support

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lisa Byrne
    Favourite Lisa Byrne
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 7:42 PM

    This needs to be addressed before it turns into an even bigger scandal years down the line with lawsuits against the state.

    94
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Siobhàn Malone
    Favourite Siobhàn Malone
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:22 PM

    Paramedics are work beside the Gardai in most of these horrific scenes and situations.
    HSE paramedics are expected to work for 40 years to earn full pension which is an impossible task with only a fraction of personnel can achieve….

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:10 AM

    @Siobhàn Malone: paramedics don’t wrestle criminals and they get far more support services as they are mandatory within 24 hours.

    The article is about lack of support services not retirement age. Try to keep up

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David B Kelly
    Favourite David B Kelly
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:09 PM

    @Karl:

    Karl unsure where your info is coming from but there is absolutely no mandatory follow up from medics as you describe.
    So maybe it’s you that should be keeping up.

    1
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 28th 2018, 6:47 PM

    @David B Kelly: Nas have follow ups with councillors as does dfb and at least 1 other fire service. Limerick I believe.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aidan Mitchell
    Favourite Aidan Mitchell
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 7:39 PM

    It’s the Government’s (and past governments) NATIONAL attitude…!

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Curtin
    Favourite Michael Curtin
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 9:16 PM

    The Guards are little more than a gang.A gang with a pension plan.

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jeff Nolan
    Favourite Jeff Nolan
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 12:05 AM

    @Michael Curtin: You are whats wrong with this country. Begrudger.

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:06 AM

    @Michael Curtin: do join up and let us know all about it

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Maggie O'Sullivan
    Favourite Maggie O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 25th 2018, 8:17 PM

    Sounds like a terrible place to work. I’d leave and get another job.

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Gallagher
    Favourite John Gallagher
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 9:17 AM

    Massive respect for these people, give them the support they need!!!

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Denis McClean
    Favourite Denis McClean
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 1:51 AM

    Not all, obviously, and there are seriously great and conscientious people out there but they are few and far between. Public Service, like politicians, have no accountability and either milk it or claim damages for a job that lesser humans would do minus the grief. It’s called entitlement..

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:07 AM

    @Denis McClean: the majority of public sector jobs come with plenty of oversight. Far more than the private sector

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 11:08 AM

    Perhaps Sean and all the other begrudgers could let us know how their applications are getting on?

    It is afterall such an easy and overpaid job with fantastic perks and little drawbacks.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark McDermott
    Favourite Mark McDermott
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 10:52 AM

    That’s not good reading, something needs to be done to support rank and file Garda. Everyone of the stories tells the same thing, no supports and management don’t care. Very very worrying.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Barry Foster
    Favourite Barry Foster
    Report
    Jul 26th 2018, 1:14 PM

    Gardai can retire on a full pension after serving just over 21 years. The majority of people working in the private sector do not have any pensions and couldn’t afford a similar defined benefit pension in their wildest dreams Commission of enquiry years ago said1500 Gardai needed to be removed from clerical duties in Dublin and returned to normal.policing …..to date 43 Gardai reassigned – keep up the good work lads lol

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 28th 2018, 6:49 PM

    @Barry Foster: 21 years? Jesus, better explain how to all those fools going 30 so

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian O Sullivan
    Favourite Brian O Sullivan
    Report
    Jul 27th 2018, 7:19 PM

    When I was a child (nearly 50 years ago)I was taught to trust and respect all Gardai. My many life experiences across various contexts sharply contrasts with that idea. They know what they are signing up for. Prioritising and taking responsibility for one’s own self care is a good starting point along with the idea that PTSD is a normal response to certain environments. It is the fire services and paramedics that do the work on scene. Gardai are usually the last to arrive…

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl
    Favourite Karl
    Report
    Jul 28th 2018, 6:52 PM

    @Brian O Sullivan: considering the fact that in many counties dialing 999 / 112 gets the gardai and then they have to notify the retained fire crew, I think you are talking rubbish.

    But then I don’t know any paramedic or hosefairy that begrudges the gardai anymore then gardai begrudge back

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Next upNext up:
      News in 60 seconds