MINSTER FOR JUSTICE Charlie Flanagan has said additional garda resources will be sent to north Dublin after a shooting last weekend.

Eoin Boylan (22) was shot repeatedly outside his home in Clonshaugh Avenue in Coolock on Sunday evening and pronounced dead in nearby Beaumont Hospital.

Community activists and politicians have been calling for extra garda resources for the Coolock and surrounding areas after a spate of violent incidents, including a number of shootings, in the last year.

Speaking in the Dáil earlier today, Minister Flanagan said: “I am aware of the incident the deputy is referring to, particularly the shooting which took place this past weekend.

“I understand that the Garda Commissioner intends to allocate additional garda resources to the DMR North Division from the attestation scheduled for tomorrow.”

Investigating officers believe Boylan was shot as part a drugs feud operating in the area, and Flanagan said although he cannot comment on that particular investigation, he can assure the house “that we are making progress in tackling drugs and organised crime”. 

Flanagan went on to mention Operation Hybrid in particular, which he says has seen substantial progress in addressing organised crime, including drug crime, across Dublin, with multiple patrols and checkpoints being conducted in the Coolock area.

Coolock is located in the DMR Northern Division, and has its own police station, where the garda workforce has increased from 103 gardaí and 11 staff in December 2015, up to 117 gardaí and 16 staff respectively as of 31 October 2019.

Speaking this morning, Flanagan said that gangland violence was “absolutely not” out of control in Dublin.

“I met yesterday with the Garda Commissioner and his team, and I believe that it’s important on the part of communities to assist gardaí with their investigations,” he said.

“My message to communities in Dublin is that those who wish to engage in lawbreaking will not succeed and will be relentlessly pursued by Commissioner Harris and his team.”