Garda video footage of clashes with protesters in Dublin on May Day will be used for future training of gardaí in similar situations, according to the Minister for Justice.
Mr McDowell in a series of replies to written Dáil questions, also disclosed that 19 gardaí had received training in the "tactical command and use of water cannons" from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
He confirmed that the two water cannons, used for the first time in the history of the State, to disperse protesters at the anti-EU demonstration in the Ashtown area of Dublin had been returned and he said that the "Garda Síochána will assess the operational requirements for water cannons on an ongoing basis".
The protests took place as the State marked the accession of the 10 new member-states to the EU.
Mr Tony Gregory (Ind, Dublin Central) had asked if protesters were filmed by the gardaí and for what purpose. The Minister said that the "videoing of the Garda operation on May Day will be used in the training of gardaí in public order tactics and informing police strategy in the future".
Mr McDowell said that the two water cannons were "re-registered with Irish number plates" in accordance with statutory requirements. The decision to use the cannons was taken by the senior Garda commander at Ashtown and they were deployed as part of a "graduated Garda response to unfolding events. The water cannons were deployed following physical injury to a garda and continuous attacks on the Garda cordon."
He also defended the use of security fencing in the Phoenix Park as "a necessary element of the overall policing plan for the events of the May Day weekend".
Mr Joe Higgins (Soc, Dublin West) questioned the need to spend public funding on the fencing "when the whole park was completely sealed off by the security forces".
Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF, Dublin South-Central) had asked how many armed gardaí were on patrol on the day, the type of weapons they used and the level of training received.
The Minister said it was not policy to supply such information for security reasons, but he stressed that all armed gardaí "are holders of authorisation cards and have received training in respect of the type of weapon which they carry. Only members of An Garda Síochána who hold a valid authorisation card are issued, as the need arises, with firearms on duty."
