kernel panic when using infra red

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.15-23-686

After I upgraded to the latest dapper kernel I can not use the infrared. I was using the irda-utils package and successfully using irattach and ircp to transfer the files to my cell phone with 2.6.15-22-686 kernel. However with the new kernel whenever I try to use irattach the machine hangs up. The error message is :

May 25 04:01:14 localhost kernel: [4294703.244000] **** SET: Misaligned resource pointer: ec161a42 Type 04 Len 42
May 25 04:01:14 localhost kernel: [4294703.244000] **** SET: Misaligned resource pointer: ec161ac6 Type 01 Len 42
May 25 04:01:14 localhost kernel: [4294703.395000] **** SET: Misaligned resource pointer: eb78c042 Type 04 Len 42
May 25 04:01:14 localhost kernel: [4294703.395000] **** SET: Misaligned resource pointer: eb78c0c6 Type 01 Len 42
jain@isengard:/var/log$ cat kern.log|grep 03:57
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.661000] sirdev_get_instance - ttyS1
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.663000] irtty_open - ttyS1: irda line discipline opened
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000004
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] printing eip:
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] c013c886
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] *pde = 00000000
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] Oops: 0002 [#1]
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] PREEMPT SMP
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] Modules linked in: irtty_sir sir_dev af_packet ipv6 binfmt_misc ppdev speedstep_centrino cpufreq_userspace cpufreq_stats freq_table cpufreq_powersave cpufreq_ondemand cpufreq_conservative video tc1100_wmi sony_acpi pcc_acpi hotkey dev_acpi container button acpi_sbs battery ac i2c_acpi_ec i2c_core irda crc_ccitt ntfs nls_iso8859_1 nls_cp437 vfat fat dm_mod md_mod fglrx lp pcmcia joydev ipw2200 tsdev ieee80211 ieee80211_crypt ieee80211_1_1_13 ieee80211_1_1_13_crypt tg3 yenta_socket rsrc_nonstatic pcmcia_core parport_pc parport snd_intel8x0 snd_ac97_codec snd_ac97_bus serio_raw snd_pcm_oss snd_mixer_oss psmouse pcspkr snd_pcm snd_timer shpchp snd soundcore pci_hotplug snd_page_alloc intel_agp agpgart evdev ext3 jbd ide_generic ehci_hcd uhci_hcd usbcore ide_cd cdrom ide_disk piix generic thermal processor fan capability commoncap vesafb fbcon tileblit font bitblit softcursor
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] CPU: 0
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] EIP: 0060:[finish_wait+54/112] Tainted: P VLI
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] EFLAGS: 00010092 (2.6.15-23-686)
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] EIP is at finish_wait+0x36/0x70
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] eax: 00000202 ebx: d5475fd8 ecx: 00000000 edx: 00000000
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] esi: d5475fcc edi: f0f912a8 ebp: 00000000 esp: d5475fb4
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] ds: 007b es: 007b ss: 0068
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] Process kIrDAd (pid: 5934, threadinfo=d5474000 task=dca1e030)
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] Stack: d5474000 d5475fcc 00000000 f0f8db83 f0f8eb20 00000000 00000000 dca1e030
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] c011f4e0 00000000 00000000 f0f8dae0 00000000 c0101525 d6cdff74 00000000
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] 00000000 00000000 00000000
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] Call Trace:
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] [pg0+817064835/1069184000] irda_thread+0xa3/0xe0 [sir_dev]
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] [default_wake_function+0/32] default_wake_function+0x0/0x20
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] [pg0+817064672/1069184000] irda_thread+0x0/0xe0 [sir_dev]
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] [kernel_thread_helper+5/16] kernel_thread_helper+0x5/0x10
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] Code: 24 04 89 d6 89 7c 24 08 89 c7 b8 00 e0 ff ff 21 e0 8b 00 c7 00 00 00 00 00 3b 5a 0c 74 2f 89 f8 e8 a0 fe 1c 00 8b 53 04 8b 4e 0c <89> 51 04 89 0a 89 c2 89 f8 89 5e 0c 89 5b 04 8b 1c 24 8b 74 24
May 25 03:57:24 localhost kernel: [4295035.755000] <6>note: kIrDAd[5934] exited with preempt_count 1
May 25 03:57:25 localhost kernel: [4295036.682000] irlap_change_speed(), setting speed to 9600

After this the machine just hangs. the command I am specifically using is:
sudo irattach /dev/ttyS1 -s

Also the system also hangs if irda-utils are allowed to stat during boot up.