Over 50 gardaí in the Cavan, Monaghan, Louth District were assaulted in the line of duty in 2023 up until last month. And, almost 8,000 sick days were taken by members, according to the Irish Independent.
A freedom of information request lodged by the newspaper revealed 42 officers were injured as a result of violent incidents last year with a further 11 assaults being recorded during the first eight months of this year. 4,600 sick days were lost due to the injuries and a further 352 sick days were taken by gardaí across the three-county division due to mental health issues. Already in the first eight months of this year, 3,000 sick days have been taken by members who sustained injuries while performing their duties.
Sinn Féin Monaghan County Councillor Cathy Bennett said the shocking figures goes some way to explaining why there's not enough guards on the beat. "I believe why this is happening is because there are just not enough gardaí on the streets which brings us back to the same issue," she said.
