The Department of Justice says Gardaí used pepper spray 1,420 times in 2024, 1,474 times during 2025, and 234 times in Jan/Feb 2026; however, the response did not detail the location, occasion, or specific reason for each use.
Concerns have been raised about specific instances of Garda use of pepper spray at a number of recent protests, including anti-asylum centre protests in Newtownmountkennedy, Coolock, and another protest at Dublin’s Port Tunnel.