Issue Date: 22/01/2026
New and upgraded public order body armour is being rolled out nationwide to frontline members of the Garda National Public Order Unit (GNPOU).
This rollout involves an initial investment of over €3.6 million, which will include personal-issue body armour to all GNPOU operators. A full rollout will be completed in quarter one 2026.
The state-of-the-art armour includes a number of enhanced operational and safety features, including:
• Enhanced fire safety material with integrated metatarsal and ankle protection
• A waistcoat-style carrier with multiple adjustment points for better fit and increased mobility
• MOLLE (Modular, Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment) webbing, allowing for the carriage of tactical equipment
• Click-fast docks for seamless Tetra radio and Body-Worn Camera integration • Slash, stab and impact protection
Each Public Order member will be fitted on-site for their new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ensuring that the armour can be correctly adjusted for each individual Garda.
The armour will be worn in three different levels in line with a graduated response, from soft cap deployment to full public order PPE.
There are currently over 1,500 trained public order Gardaí.
This body armour is the latest advancement in enhancing the protection and capabilities of our Public Order members.
Recently, An Garda Síochána procured two water cannon for use in significant public disorder incidents, round shields for mobility in specific public order scenarios and modernised specialist public order transport vehicles.
