Arming rank and file Gardaí would be a “step too far”, the General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has said. 

Gardaí have been an unarmed police force since the earliest days of the State and, even at the height of the Civil War, calls to arm members have always gone unanswered. 

However, last week, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he "would absolutely say yes" if the Minister for Justice or Garda Commissioner asked him to supply the rank and file with weapons. 

"I certainly wouldn't do anything to block that if he [the Garda Commissioner] felt that was the right approach," Mr Varadkar told the Irish Mail on Sunday. 

He also said that, "People don't feel as safe on our streets, and even in their homes as they did previously".

Armed Gardaí outside the Criminal Courts of Justice. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

There is an Armed Support Unit within An Garda Síochána and AGSI General Secretary Antoinette Cunningham said she saw no reason to change the status quo. 

“The current ethos of An Garda Síochána is that we are an unarmed police force who police with the consent of the people,” she told Newstalk. 

“While we do have specialist armed units within the organisation itself, I think going from a relatively unarmed police force to a totally armed police force is probably a step too far. 

“I think it’s unnecessary.” 

Most countries around the world arm law enforcement officers; however, police in Ireland, Britain, New Zealand, Norway and Iceland are an exception and walk the streets routinely unarmed. 

Main image: Gardaí on duty. Picture by: Brendan Donnelly / Alamy