Over 1,000 gardaí injured as result of being assaulted in line of duty in past three years

According to figures released through the Freedom of Information Act 2014, over 1,085 members of An Garda Síochána have reported sustaining an occupational injury as a result of being assaulted in the last three years.

An Garda Síochána have released the figures which date back to, and are inclusive of, 2023 and up until 25 September 2025.

Within this time frame, 2023 had the highest rate of injuries sustained by gardaí in the line of duty with 471 instances reported. 

In comparison, the figure last year was much less, although nonetheless high, with 376 reports of gardaí sustaining injuries due to being assaulted. 

As of the end of September this year, there has so far been 238 members of An Garda Síochána who have been injured as a result of being assaulted on the job. 

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Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, who was appointed by the Government to replace Drew Harris at the start of September, has said "the safety of gardaí is of utmost importance and concern for An Garda Síochána."

Responding to a request for comment on the figures, An Garda Síochána said: "Since taking up office, Commissioner Kelly has spoken publicly on several occasions on the unacceptable assaults and level of violence experienced by some gardaí and the need to ensure gardaí have the right equipment and tools to do their job efficiently and safely.

"As part of this, the Commissioner has said that tasers will be introduced for front-line gardaí on a pilot basis and the current use of body-cams in three locations will be extended to front-line gardaí nationwide."

These figures follow a shocking assault on a garda in Dublin City Centre in July which captured the attention of the entire country. The garda was on a routine high-visibility patrol on Capel Street in Dublin when he was stabbed in what An Garda Síochána described as an "unprovoked attack."

A man in his 20s was arrested and charged for the attack which was caught on video and widely shared on social media.

In a statement following the attack, the Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region, Paul Cleary, said: "This evening’s unprovoked assault is indicative of what gardaí can face when they go out on duty to keep people safe. There is not always video footage or content shared online, but we experience it in our day-to-day duties and it’s a difficult aspect of the job. Assaults of this nature will never be acceptable or tolerated."

Anyone convicted for assaulting a member of An Garda Síochána can face a maximum prison sentence of 7 to 12 years. This sentencing legislation was introduced in 2023 as the previous maximum penalty was 7 years in prison. Assaults on other emergency service workers such as paramedics, hospital staff and fire fighters are also included.