‘Absolutely worth testing’: Kilkenny TD welcomes Gardaí carrying Tasers

Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere, has welcomed the commencement of a pilot programme that could see frontline Gardaí equipped with Conductive Energy Devices (CEDs), commonly known as Tasers, as soon as this week.

“Frontline Gardaí deal with unpredictable and often dangerous situations every single day,” Deputy Cleere said.

“If a tool like a Taser can help Gardaí bring a situation under control more safely, then it’s absolutely worth testing in a controlled and responsible way”.

The pilot will allow around 120 specially trained frontline Gardaí in Dublin Central, Waterford and Kilkenny to carry Tasers as part of a structured evaluation of their effectiveness within a graduated policing response.

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It will operate alongside the continued rollout of Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs) to help de-escalate confrontations and improve transparency. Under this programme, Tasers will only be issued to Gardaí who are equipped with BWCs.

“Gardaí are being injured on duty far too often, and that simply shouldn’t be the reality for people serving their communities,” Deputy Cleere said.

“Gardaí need the right tools to protect themselves and the public, and this pilot gives us a chance to see whether Tasers can play a real, practical role in that”.

At present, frontline uniformed Gardaí have limited tactical options, relying primarily on verbal de-escalation or calling for assistance from armed colleagues when situations escalate.

Between 2014 and 2024, an average of 299 Gardaí were assaulted each year, underscoring the pressures facing frontline members and the need to explore additional protective tools.

“This is about modernising policing and strengthening public safety. The Taser pilot is one part of that wider effort, and it’s a sensible step forward,” Deputy Cleere concluded.

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