REPORTS THAT A local authority will spend €50,000 are wide of the mark, Cork City Council insists.
The council was reported to be planning to spend €100 a person on self-defence classes for council staff. The training was said to be planned on foot of a number of incidents in which staff were threatened.
However, a spokesperson for the council has said that the plan only applies to a small number of staff, particularly those who work alone and might be vulnerable.
The council said that they had carried out a statutory risk assessment and found some of their staff might be vulnerable.
“Arising from these assessments the City Council has identified a number of areas and situations in which some staff may be at risk of injury arising from threatening behaviour or aggression from third parties.
“The City Council have a duty of care towards its staff in cases where it identifies such risk and the City Council is committed to apply measures appropriate to the risks identified.”
The council says the one-day course is aimed at helping some front-line staff, such as litter and traffic wardens, deal with the threat of violence.
“The training course enables staff to gain an insight into the relevant laws and theories, to have an awareness of the risks as they might present, whilst also acquiring some practical skills (including breakaway techniques), in dealing with threats and violence and in diffusing stressful, aggressive or potentially aggressive situations,” said a spokesperson.
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