A SCHEME which has seen uniformed gardaí equipped with tasers will be extended for a further six months.
The pilot programme first launched in locations across the country in December 2025.
Some 167 officers were provided with tasers at stations in Store Street, Pearse Street, and Kevin Street in Dublin, and in Waterford too, after completing their training in using the tool.
As per Garda policy, only Gardaí with body-cams can carry tasers.
Since its launch the tasers have been deployed 15 times, the police force confirmed this week, as it announced plans to extend the pilot scheme.
Garda Kelly Smyth demonstrating as An Garda Síochána launched the pilot programme deploying tasers to frontline uniformed Gardaí, at Store Street Garda Station in Dublin in December 2025“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,” they explained.
“There were no serious injuries incurred by either subjects or Gardaí in these 15 incidents,” they added.
Now the taser pilot will be extended until the end of 2026 and also expanded to officers in Limerick in the coming months.
“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,” Deputy Commissioner, Security, Strategy and Governance, Paul Cleary said.
“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,” he added.
“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 resort to discharge of the taser,’ he explained.
"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.”
Everything from irishpost.com and the print edition is available on the Irish Post App — plus more! Download it for Android or Apple IOS devices today.
