The Government has approved a proposal by Minister for Justice Simon Harris to increase sentences for assaults on gardaí and other emergency service workers.
The Cabinet agreed that the maximum sentence for assaulting or obstructing a garda will increase from seven to 12 years.
It will apply to any assault, any threat of force against a garda or emergency worker – including ramming their vehicle.
This includes hospital staff, prison officers, fire brigade crews, ambulance personnel and members of the Defence Forces.
This change will be introduced in committee-stage amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill.
That bill is on the Government's priority list and it has now passed all stages in the Dáil and will be debated in the Seanad today.
In a statement, Mr Harris said such assaults were "inexcusable" and show "flagrant disregard for the rule of law".
"Assaults on emergency workers can victimise the communities that they serve too," he said.
The Taoiseach said that assaults on gardaí and other emergency services are more serious offences and that the proposals before Cabinet were a gesture of solidarity with such workers.
Speaking as he arrived at Cabinet this morning, Leo Varadkar said that the measures would also allow the courts to hand down "stiffer sentences" to those that commit such crimes.
He noted that there has been an increase in assaults on people at work more generally, not just those working in emergency services.
"It is difficult to know why that's happening. You know an element of it would, of course, be a larger population and more people at work and a bigger public service", he said.
Other items that were on the Cabinet agenda today included Minister Harris aiming to extend the current rules that allow alcohol to be sold and consumed in outdoor seating areas.
The provisions were introduced during the pandemic and can be extended every six months.
Mr Harris asked that the legislation be extended until 30 November while work continues on the Sale of Alcohol Bill.
There was also a plan to include businesses, which use kerosene as their main source of energy, in the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS).
Minister for Finance Michael McGrath recommended to Government the extension of the scheme until the end of July.
Minister for Enterprise Coveney also brought a number of amendments to the employment permits for season workers to Cabinet.
The aim of the amendments was to strengthen workers' rights and included drawing up a register of employers approved to take on seasonal workers.
The changes would also mean that an employee could transfer their work permit to another employer after nine months.
Additional reporting Tommy Meskill
