Some frontline uniformed gardaí (Irish police) will be given tasers as part of a new pilot project.

The six-month scheme, set to roll out in Dublin, Waterford and Kilkenny will see about 128 officers who already use body-worn cameras given the tasers.

The initiative was brought to a meeting of the Irish Cabinet on Tuesday morning by Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan.

Officers in the Republic are largely unarmed, with only members of the force’s specialist armed unit able to access them at present, but the tánaiste (Irish deputy PM) said it will allow gardaí to protect themselves.

“Brave men and women who put on their uniform every day are often faced now with increased levels of abuse on the streets, levels of attacks,” Simon Harris said before Tuesday’s meeting.

Harris said tasers “in certain instances” can play an important role.

Speaking to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, Niall Hodgins, vice president of the Garda Representative Association, said the news was “very welcomed”.

He said there were almost 1,000 attacks on gardaí last year, with 300 of those deemed to be “serious”.

“The great thing about these tasers is that they can very much contribute to the deescalation of the more violent and aggressive encounters that our members are experiencing year-on-year,” he said.

However the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) said it was “deeply concerned” about the use of tasers, adding that they are not an “effective de-escalation tool in all situations”.

The ICCL’s director Joe O’Brien said it is a “complete step change” from the force’s tradition of being unarmed.

“We are unclear what precise issues the minister and garda commissioner (chief constable) feel tasers will resolve, why they believe this to be the case, and how they will run and analyse this pilot project,” he added.

“We in ICCL are clear: tasers are not the Christmas gift Gardaí need.”