Varadkar: Giving more gardaí guns would lead to escalation in armed crimes

Cillian Sherlock, PA

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said arming rank-and-file gardaí would lead to an escalation of weapons being used in crimes.

Asked by reporters if he would suggest arming more gardaí to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, Mr Varadkar said: “No, I won’t be suggesting it.”

He said the existence of armed units in every division meant there were more armed gardaí than in the past.

The Taoiseach said these units were necessary but added that he has heard from the Garda Commissioner and rank-and-file gardaí that “having an unarmed police force is something of real value”.

He said: “If we were to arm all of our gardaí, you would then see an escalation in the extent to which people who commit crimes are armed.

“So I think having an unarmed police force makes sense and that’s the advice we’re getting very strongly from the gardaí themselves.

“That’s not to say that we don’t need to invest in the armed support units and the ERU (emergency response unit) because we do.”