It’s an understandable reaction, and here in Limerick, where gardaí have also come under fire—mercifully without serious injury—one can readily question the wisdom of sending a Garda into the line of duty protected by nothing more than a ballistic vest.

It’s interesting that Limerick’s senior garda, Chief Superintendent Willie Keane (turn to Pg18-19 for David Raleigh’s special two-page report), speaking for the majority of gardaí, is firm in his view that the gardaí should remain unarmed, true to the ethos of its founders.

The answer lies elsewhere. While it’s wise to look at other jurisdictions for examples and trends, it would be folly to ignore the necessity of re-evaluating the safety procedures for and protection of our own police.

This is not the early 20th Century. We live in a world of  guns which criminals are unafraid to use in pursuit of their aims. The gardaí, and the Government, must rise to the policing challenge which gun crime presents.

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