Ministers Paschal Donohoe and Catherine Martin have indicated they will back new legislation for tougher sanctions and longer prison sentences for thugs who assault gardaí or other emergency workers.
The two senior Government members were speaking in the wake of the shocking and brutal assault of two Garda members out on the beat in Dublin city centre over the weekend.
The Irish Mirror asked if special longer prison sentences should be brought in to crack down on the sick criminals.
READ MORE: Garda in hospital after being kicked and punched in horrific group attack outside Ballyfermot pub
Finance Minister and inner city Dublin TD, Mr Donohoe, said: “First, I want to recognise the trauma and violence that a member of An Garda Síochána was subjected to.
“Any violence in any part of our society is repugnant, but it is particularly the case for those who put themselves at risk to protect our law and protect our society.
“We believe as a Government that the way we can make further progress in ensuring that we all live in safe communities is by continuing the plans to recruit more guards and we have very ambitious Garda recruitment plans in place already to ensure there are more gardaí in our communities and in visible locations that we know need strong policing.
“We believe that is the most effective way that we can respond to the threat that is there.
“Of course, any way in which our laws can be strengthened to put in place effective deterrents in response to that violence, I will be supportive of.”
Tourism Minister Mr Martin also slammed the attacks and threw her weight behind stiffer punishments because such assaults present Ireland in a very poor light to tourists.
She said: “Obviously any assault like that is not good from a tourism point of view.
“It is not good from a society-wide point of view, we do not want to see that happening in our capital city or anywhere in our country.
“But I know that (Justice) Minister McEntee has this as an absolute priority in tackling this and getting the Garda station there active on our main thoroughfare (O’Connell Street) as well.
“So, it’s an absolute priority for Ms McEntee and I back her 100%, not just from a tourism point of view.”
Ms Martin added: “I think everything has to be examined and I look forward what is being brought to the government table in relation to this.”
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin “condemned utterly” the attack on the gardaí in Ballyfermot, calling it “reprehensible”.
He said: “There can be no toleration for those kinds of assaults on gardai who are out there putting their lives and them[selves] on the line to protect us all in society.
“It is utterly reprehensible what occurred last evening. “ know the gardaí are following up on that and are investigating that.”
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