THE number of Dublin-based gardai trained in public order incidents has more than trebled since the 2023 riots.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan will update his Cabinet colleagues on the progress that gardai have made in improving public order policing in the capital since November 2023.
The number of Dublin-based gardai trained in public order incidents has risen from 200 in 2023 up to over 700.
During the riots, many public order gardai had to be called in from counties across the country to help tackle the mob.
The number of public order-trained gardai in the country now stands at 1,500.
He will also today brief his Cabinet colleagues on the contents of a review of public order policing in Ireland following concerns raised in the wake of the Dublin riots.
A mob caused millions of euros worth of damage in November 2023 as they looted shops, set a Luas on fire and attacked buses and gardai.
The riot happened shortly after three young children and a care worker were stabbed outside a crèche on Parnell Street, with gardai arresting suspect Riad Bouchaker who remains before the courts.
The Policing Authority review was completed and handed into the last Justice Minister in August 2024 but it was never published.
It’s understood that the review highlights a number of issues including central co-ordination, management and governance, resourcing, use of force, equipment and training as well as staff welfare.
Last November, gardai published CCTV images of 99 ‘persons of interest’ on their website wanted in relation to their probe into alleged criminal activity that night.
They hoped this would allow them to get the public’s help in either ruling each individual “in or out” of the criminal investigative process.
As of mid-January, 65 people have been arrested in relation to the ongoing investigation.
Gardai are continuing to appeal to anyone with information about the events on that day, or anyone involved in organising or participating in these events, to contact the Garda investigation team at Store Street Garda Station at 01 666 8000, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
