Issue Date: 14/06/2026
An Garda Síochána is to extend its taser pilot for six months until the end of 2026 and also expand it to Limerick Division in the coming months.
An Garda Síochána launched its taser pilot in December 2025 in four locations – Store Street, Pearse Street, and Kevin Street in Dublin, and Waterford, with 167 Gardaí successfully completing their training and being provided with tasers.
As per Garda policy, these locations have Gardaí who are using body-cams. Garda policy states that only Gardaí with body-cams can carry tasers. Limerick Division is a pilot location for body-cams.
Since December 2025, tasers have been used 15 times and have proven to be successful at de-escalating volatile and violent incidents. In six of these 15 incidents, a weapon was produced by the subject.
Of the 15 uses, there were three discharges, five instances of drawing and arming, and seven where the subject had the taser’s laser pointed at them (laser painted) by Gardaí.
There were no serious injuries incurred by either subjects or Gardaí in these 15 incidents.
In seven of these cases, the subject was arrested and subsequently charged. In one case, the subject fled and was not apprehended, and in three cases the person was detained and assessed in accordance of Section 12 of the Mental Health Act 2001, while one further subject was brought to hospital for an issue not related to the use of Garda force.
All three discharges were referred to the police ombudsman, Fiosrú, as per Garda policy.
Speaking today, Deputy Commissioner, Security, Strategy and Governance, Paul Cleary said, "As we said at the launch of the pilot, one of the key measures of success during this pilot is to de-escalate and to avoid harm, not the number of times a device is discharged. In fact, harm to the person arrested has also likely been avoided as the drawing, aiming and laser painting has meant that other uses of force such as baton did not need to be used.
"The taser pilot has demonstrated the effectiveness of the taser as a de-escalation tool. The presence and controlled use of the device in the pilot areas has enabled Gardaí to resolve volatile situations calmly and often without having to resorting to discharge of the taser.
"It has also been welcomed by Gardaí and local Garda management as providing additional protection to our personnel who have to deal with a wide variety of potentially violent situations on a daily basis.
"We will now extend the pilot to Limerick as this will enable us to provide Gardaí there with another valuable tool along with their body-cams. It will also help us to capture more data on taser usage which is required to fully inform the final decision by Garda management on taser deployment more widely across the country.”
All Gardaí with tasers have undergone a comprehensive three-day Taser Training Course grounded in Irish Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights principles.
The deployment of tasers will be fully Human Rights compliant and will be subject of rigorous evaluation prior to any decision for wider roll out of Tasers within An Garda Síochána.
The Taser Pilot has been discussed with Garda oversight bodies including the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Policing and Community Safety Authority, and the Strategic Human Rights Advisory Committee for An Garda Síochána.
Real-life examples of taser deployment de-escalating a volatile situation:
An Garda Síochána received a report of a domestic violence incident at a residential address. Regular uniform Gardaí immediately responded and arrived at the scene. They met with the female victim who reported that she and her son had been assaulted by a former male partner, resulting in bite marks on the forearms of both the victim and her son. The injuries were observed by Gardaí and another child was also present during the incident. On approaching the suspect inside the house, he became extremely aggressive towards Gardaí. One of the Gardaí drew their taser from the holster. The visible presence of the device resulted in the suspect reassessing their behaviour and the situation de-escalated without physical force, injury, or further escalation. The suspect was arrested, detained and subsequently charged. The case remains before the courts.
An Garda Síochána received a report of an aggressive male at an address. Gardaí immediately responded and arrived at the scene. On arrival, Gardaí entered the address and the male became extremely aggressive towards the Gardaí. He proceeded to make threats towards Gardaí, while holding a glass bottle in an aggressive manner. Following unsuccessful attempts to de-escalate using verbal reasoning, Gardaí drew their tasers to protect themselves. The subject was then detained under the Mental Health Act.
A Garda spokesperson is not available. A Garda spokesperson will be available at the launch of the pilot in Limerick.
