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GARDA COMMISSIONER DREW Harris and Justice Minister Helen McEntee are to appear before the Oireachtas Justice Committee to address the violence and disruption on Dublin’s streets in recent days.
Gardaí have arrested 48 people in the city since Thursday and more than 30 have been called before the courts on theft and public order related charges after rioting and looting caused chaos.
Fianna Fáil TD and committee chair James Lawless invited the pair to appear “at the earliest opportunity”, describing this week’s events as “a perfect storm of far-right hate groups organising online but also of rogue gangs of local youths”.
“While the issues here are complex, at least one of the solutions has to be resourcing the gardaí including recruitment and retention issues, and proactively reclaiming the streets for ordinary, law aiding people,” he said.
“We need to get tough on city centre policing … I welcome the increased presence in the capital on Friday night but that must become the norm, not the exception.”
Both the Commissioner and the Justice Minister have been under fire in recent days, not only for the events of 23 November, but other issues within An Garda Síochána that have been mounting for years.
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Some opposition parties have called for both Harris and McEntee to resign, arguing that their positions have become untenable, people feel unsafe in the city.
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said: “This is not a call that was made in isolation . “In the first instance, I believe we need a change in culture.
“We need to separate the higher echelons of An Garda Síochána from the heroic efforts we’ve seen from individual guards on the street.”
In September, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) members voted overwhelmingly to express no confidence in the commissioner, after Harris pushed ahead with a controversial roster change.
Other issues cited by the union include the retention of staff, discipline processes and the feeling that gardaí are unable to engage in robust policing in response to anti-social behaviour.
Gannon believes rank-and-file gardaí have been proven right.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said that there has been “a good deal of political play acting” in recent days from both opposition and government parties, but that the Minister and the Commissioner “have serious questions to answer”.
“There’s clearly been a failure when we see a breakdown of law and order in the streets of Dublin for a lengthy period of time on Thursday evening, resulting in such fear and such mayhem.”
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“People want to see political leadership. They want to see a united sense of purpose to ensure our streets are safe.”
McEntee says she is “determined to maintain momentum” in garda recruitment, amid a severe staff shortage.
Following a briefing today with the Commissioner, McEntee says additional overtime has been provided to gardaí in the capital, and an additional €4.4 million has been earmarked for 95 extra garda cars and vans by the end of the year.
“I want to again be clear that the thuggery we saw on Thursday will not be tolerated and, as Minister for Justice, An Garda Síochána, including Commissioner Harris, have my full support to maintain order,” said McEntee.
“Those responsible will be brought to justice.”
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They both need to go, it was clear what was happening on Thursday was escalating quickly, you could see it all online but nobody in the force seen it coming?
@ferrett: They don’t need to go. The only thing that needs to change is that the Gardai are free to dish out some slaps with the batons next time it happens. That will teach the right wingers and teenage knacks a lesson they won’t want too experience again.
@ferrett: And who do you presume will take over from Harris. The Gardai don’t like outsiders been in charge hence their attitude toward Harris, but there is nothing below Harris who would inspire any confidence. I do agree that Mc Entee is extremely weak, and needs to go.
@CTW: people like you are relatively incapable of engaging in a reasonable debate and did nothing to ever be proactive on the issues. Unlike the hundreds or even thousands of Irish people mocked, ignored and blocked by unaccountable elitists such as the justice minister as I was when I contacted about policing concerns and other issues. These ministers have nothing but contempt for the country and that includes you. Even if you use divisive language and attack the response as just right wing violence. You;re not interested in tackling the way the violence came to pass. & those loudest with that voice following Thursday appear to have left the terror stabbing attack as little more than a footnote..
@vxQ6cYzh: why?? Did you not see what happened on Thursday or you been asleep for the past 3 days. It’s not just this it’s everywhere shootings, robbings happening all the time that don’t even make the news half the time and the Garda can’t be half arsed. Needs a complete change and overhaul and that has to start at the top
@Sean oSuilleabhain: I’m perfectly capable of responded debate, but you can’t reason with violence. You’re free to protest peacefully, but if you organise on social media to meet and go on violent looting rampage then you should be met with a very firm response. Don’t try and mask the thuggery with some pityful story about being marginalised. That’s with the ballot box is for.
@CTW: no attempt was made by me to mask the thuggery of rioters, rather to use maturity to address the issues that caused this violence to escalate. none of which can be achieved in Ireland through voting up until 2020, watching fg ff and those return to office to make the same mistakes and further campaign against the wishes and needs of people in this country. we should be talking a lot more about the attacker as well as immigration and of course hold looters to account. Seems to me many of the human right ngos, media are only interested in talking about ‘far right’ a blatant misuse of the term and that’s incredibly offensive to those who nearly lost their lives on Thursday.
@CTW: pitiful? as thats what the word is. I’m somewhat marginalised but in a relatively unrelated way to many who engaged in rioting. Calling out these socio economic factors & also the issue of immigration is not pitiful, its proactive.
@vxQ6cYzh: Every one and their dog knew what was bubbling under the surface, you didn’t need to be a genius to figure out that the scrotes of society were going to act out!
@Sean oSuilleabhain: Voting is democracy in action. You want something different to the majority. You have to accept past results and accept future results. That goes for all political points of view. However, if you assault and destroy property them you should get a firm response. 1990s Landsdowne style.
@CTW: nothing has improved in politics and policing since lansdowne riot, or since Love ulster ones either. Ireland in its bureaucracy is whats knuckle dragging, Thursday is a case in point and was inevitable. Horrible, but inevitable. Don’t come on lambasting others for this honesty.
@CTW: \The right wingers you speak of are in your head and the teenage knacks are children, most of them under the age of 18.
I blame the parents, not the children themselves who were involved, for what happened on Thursday evening/night. Where was the parental supervision of their children? Children are easily manipulated, just ask the commanders of any military force, cannon fodder for the ones that oversee the battles.
Where were the parents of these children last Thursday evening/night, at work, in the pub, in the bookies, at home? Children that age allowed run rampant without any supervision.
Besides McAntee and Harris, Norma Foley has a lot to answer for as well, IMO.
@Sean oSuilleabhain: You don’t know what happened so how can you say inevitable? He may be an ISIS sympathizer but then again, he may have schizophrenia. That could strike any of us. Reflect on that.
@Sean oSuilleabhain: Resentments have been bubbling under the surface for at least 10 years, successive governments ignoring societal needs, young people see no future in Ireland because they have nowhere to live, rents are astronomical, FFG being coy about immigration, FFG posters on here constantly belittling the poorest in society. None of the governments failures I’ve outlined gave those hooligans the right to destroy Dublin City but when you are governed by out of touch snobs like FFG who never learn your looking for trouble.
@CTW: and if you do your job with this commissioner you are suspended….118 out at the moment on suspension….and its not like an American cop show where your back at the end of the episode it goes on for year’s sometime….so why would ya risk your job and pension its easier now to just sit back and watch it happening….the RUC man needs to go as dose the minister the force is completely broken
@and the hit’s just keep coming: Charges for the suspended include sexual assault, harassment, drink driving and misappropriation of data. Not charges for doing the job. These are the facts.
Maybe this commissioner is actually cleaning up the guards? His RUC past is only important to a small minority of people.
@CTW: what a load of nonsense ? dont know what happened how? whip up hatred? you’re a joke. Garda HQ, the commissioner and Mcetee used the media to immediately whip up hatred following the attack on Thurs afternoon and probably you too
@CTW: don’t make a fool of yourself…..yes some suspensions are warranted definitely…..at present we have nearly 500 members out sick 300 of them long term….out of 118 suspended w small fraction are for criminal offense….we have members suspended for using blue lights to respond to emergency calls but because they are not trained they are suspended and if they don’t respond they gate suspended for not responding….the commissioner and minister have brought the organisation to strike nearly…. it’s never happened in 100 year’s….. now back to the garda press office with ya where ya work
@ferrett: I,like a lot of people,have lost confidence in both the Minister of Defence & Garda Commissioner, but in the end the only people responsible for last Thursdays mayhem were our own fine upstanding citizens. Its was us, our mam’s & dad’s , our son & daughters that were in town acting the hooligan. God knows we can blame the Government and individual ministers for not pulling their weight on alot of social issues but when someone wants to act the thug no government will stop them.
@mainmsam: exactly,we don’t need more laws ,we need the laws we have to be properly enforced by the courts .
No wonder the guards are leaving when people are walking the streets with 50 odd convictions
@niamh hayes: or also no wonder the guards are deserting and Templemore has reportedly an extremely lacking sense of real training when you have a commissioner who completely disproportionately took on the rioting for the media and he and the main mainstream media here put the attack on women and children to the very bottom of the headline news.
@niamh hayes: Exactly – apparently, every single politician and journalist in the country has somehow forgotten about the very stabby criminal who instigated all this in the first place.
@SYaxJ2Ts: “A no-order decision is usually made when a judge rules that there was a significant mental health aspect to the case” – should have been off the streets ……… from last May
@mainmsam: many criminals are walking the streets presently simply because there was no room for them in prison and because those considered worse are already in there. They’re talking about building more now as usual too little too late.
@TheUnrepresented: indeed a serious state failing if true – not necessarily the justice system. Is there no follow up or joined up processes with other state depts when a judge makes such an order? Like Health in this case
@SYaxJ2Ts: We can agree to disagree. That is why we have ministers and commissioners etc – they are in charge with massive organisations. Yes they may lean into health and other services – we expect that to happen. But keeping the streets safe and administering justice / taking people off the streets etc is their primary responsibility – so on their watch I have to conclude.
@TheUnrepresented: shame on the Irish mirror. their immediate coverage of the events had censorship at the core. the coverage was obviously sudden to so many people but they had video from across at Abbey presbyterian and no one was allowed to comment from the get go
@Joe Meade: keep your head in the sand joe. Stay nice and cozy in your echo chamber with Kevin. You guys won’t need to see the bad things in the world just the bits your drip fed. Enjoy it, knock yourselves out with all the narratives that suit your outlooks on life
@mainmsam:
Eat ze bugs on your brain fart Telegram echo channels etc for now, for soon they will all be infiltrated and cleansed of rabid ethnocentrists, xenophobes and the unplaaned for, unworthy, unintended spawn of Éireann! Happy Sunday Doleⲧards…. sun’s out, guns out….all wannabe EDL huns out!
@SYaxJ2Ts: an immigrant stabbed a woman and children. Yet you’re still defending the attacker. Give your head a wobble Kevin. You’re stance on this is completely wrong
@SYaxJ2Ts: an immigrant was caught with a knife some months ago, Brought to court and nothing happened. He should have been locked up in a prison or mental health facility at the very least. He should have been deported for sure. Try tell me the systems in place worked correctly
@mainmsam: a systematic failure re the court appearance of the attacker and lack of an appropriate response to the courts finding. There has no been failure related to our immigration system
@SYaxJ2Ts: this s€umbag was ordered to deport by a court. Appealed over a 5 year period and was allowed to stay. Has never worked in TWENTY years. That’s a massive immigrant systems failure
I’m sorry to say, but Ireland is rick on paper only, the government behaves like a bunch of refined banana men with a bit of money. Healthcare staff don’t earn enough and have questionable working conditions, so they go to Australia and Canada, instead, we import Filipino nurses and Pakistani doctors. Our police force earn less and have less favourable working conditions than countries who are poorer “on paper” like Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden. So is our armed forces. And our costs of living is higher. It seems that we have made a haven for IT professionals and some Engineers and the rest are just thrown under the bus. They mention budget, but theee countries have less revenue than us proportionally, they have a mor generous welfare system and they still cope. Am I missing something?
@Michael Walsh: IRELAND is a relatively rich country. however, 1 in 6 households were choosing between heating and eating before covid. what was it like after Ireland’s disproportionately strict lockdowns, for its cases? it must have been made worse
As soon as I heard about those poor children I said that people were going to tear up the city over this. Thats what happens and McEntee and Harris should have seen it coming a mile away. Then they go on tv and start going on about far right ideology and equating that with thuggery, because they want that little sound bite to be heard on the world stage. Never mind the poor child in hospital, fighting for her life. Those toe rags burning police cars and looting stores dont give a fig about far right or far left, it was just an excuse to go mad. There were people from all nationalities arrested, ffs.
@Pauline Gallagher: as someone who has contacted them maturely in email, socials etc when there’s been no alternative Mcetee is at the top of the government ministers/TDs to have refused to engage with the public as well of course as saying that Dublin was not and is not slowly falling way short of what would be acceptable for law and order to keep public safe. Its almost impressive how much she’s unaccountable. See how normal and level headed what I’ve said is, got blocked by Helen for saying the same.
@Sean oSuilleabhain: the Government have been looking through the lens of the NGOs, when they get a hint of public dissent they are surprised & react by calling us racists, transphobes, far-right, their disconnect from the Irish citizens is because of brainwashing & the illusion they are the Global Young Leaders of a Global Master Race
@Marie Nolan: its an absolute tragedy at the moment. someone said it best yesterday I overheard ‘this is the result of the elected officials who don’t represent this country at all claiming that the ‘far right’ elements are stoking the immigration issue. when we know as with elsewhere in Europe in the past 20 years that ignoring the fundamental issues and breaking down law and order is what is causing division between the ethnic groups and we are supposed to be the developed world.
@Marie Nolan: it’s all about sound bites with these politicians and how do I look in my latest photoshoot rather than actually dealing with the problems
In this article above – for these 2 figureheads of our justice system – you ignore to call out their and their system’s biggest failing that has come to lights from the last few days – the suspect for Thursdays attempted random mass murder was arrested and brought through the courts earlier this year in May 2023 for knife related crimes in Dublin – but was let walk free back into society. As widely reported in some of the fringe media (Irish Mirror and Irish Mail – but not yet hitting RTE and Irish Times etc).
@TheUnrepresented: I don’t know if that’s true or not. But if so, it highlights the real problem. Gardai are apprehending criminals. The courts are releasing them.
We need stricter sentencing and unfortunately, more prisons. Until then the crooks are not afraid to break the law. They know they’ll be back on the streets in no time.
@Fran Ken: Agreed.. Our justice system needs a total overhaul. I’m just waiting for that delivery driver,who bravely intervened and may have saved some child’s life, to be asked by Gardai to explain his actions. In this mad world it’s not beyond reason that he be arrested for attacking the knife wielding crazy person.
The immediate rant response by Harass as that’s what I’m calling him was spectacularly tonally uneven and sought to put disproportionate emphasis on the rioters which is exactly the way that Rte/ indo and the tabloids behaved. Why should Irish people stand for this any longer just because rioting broke out ? Far be it for this country to finally mature and admit that the atmosphere was there whereby Thursday was becoming increasingly inevitable. Can safely say that as someone who’d under no circumstances defend the rioting, that area of Dublin right through to the far side of Drumcondra has been menacing for a long time. As for Mcetee, I barely want to comment as my blood is boiling. Someone who should have been made to resign a long time ago.
I’m in my mid 50s & have been travelling into Dublin city centre for about 40 years
North of the Liffey has always felt less safe but things have got noticeably worse since the pandemic
Thursday nights events got media coverage across Europe & the U.S.
I’m no expert & I’m sure solutions are complex and long-term but a good place to start would be the Minister & Commissioner admit Thurs was a failure and they will endeavour to do better and are open to all suggestions.
But I won’t be holding my breath
@Peter Murray So who will staff the hospitals? and work in the restaurants and fast food places? Deliveroo??? Open arms to all foreign nationals …Ireland needs your skills and likes your gentle personalities.
They really have no idea, or else they do, but just don’t care. Even the dogs on the streets knew the Dublin hasn’t been a safe place for years now! Neither of them listened to the people whom their meant to serve!
McEntee told us after tourist assaults a few months ago, bold as her brass neck, that Dublin is a safe place. I won’t go near city centre in broad daylight let alone at night. Nor will I use dart or bus. The US embassy doesn’t tell its citizens to be careful in Dublin for no reason. The dogs in the street saw this coming. Every organised protest rally this year has been hijacked by these thugs. The frightening thing for me was the total lack of an emergency reaction plan by Gardai. Every city in the western world has a plan for this type of thuggery and the lack of one in Dublin is a failure of management. McEntee and Harris are accountable for this. They failed miserably and should resign.
I am not surprised to learn that the arrested man had previous mental health issues but that, when this was made .known, he was left to his own devices. The same with the rioters. For years people like them have been swanning around the area drug dealing, fighting, shoplifting and generally intimidating people. In both instances plenty of people get paid to deal with the issues but just walk away. They are never held accountable. Not alone do the Minister and Commissioner need to go but plenty of others as well.
@Tríona Commode: Unfortunately they are going to use this to force the hate speech bill through. I have never been on a protest in me life but if that bill goes through I’ll be on the streets myself ( not robbing and acting the langer obviously)
@niamh hayes: Same here ;) It’s essential that we challenge these megalomaniacs in their determination to change the very concept of crime to include words, perceptions, personal feelings, and everything but the kitchen sink.
@niamh hayes: This riot came at the perfect time for those at the top who are determined to enact laws that will erode our fundamental rights. The facial recognition and hate speech laws were correctly rounded upon by constitutional law and civil liberty experts but they’ll push them through now under cover of “far right” this and “protecting our cities” that
Unfortunately no one was watching social media, I was sitting on the couch and even I could see what was coming down the road, personally I wouldn’t go near the city centre which is a shame as the businesses in the area need the footfall especially at this time of year, Headless chickens , the Justice minister and Garda commissioner surely must go incompetent at it’s finest
There should be major concern at the knee jerk reaction of the government to the terrible scenes at the school and what followed thur evening is to rush through the legislation that the majority of ppl
Quite clearly showed in May they didn’t want. At least not without at a minimum serious amendments in relation to definition of “hate” and the powers it would give. The actions of 1% should result in draconian measures against the 99%.
And what baffles me is attempted censorship has already played a massive role in Govt unpopularity.
Open debate on all govt polices should always be a part of a functioning democracy.
Govt are trying to take advantage of a terrible day for Ireland to push their own a agenda in my view here.
@R B: You are so right, they should be made have a referendum & they will get their answer, they know majority do not want this but trying to ram it through anyway, We should be on the streets with massive protest & let them know we have had enough
Judging by the statement made by Leo with regards “rushing through legislation”, facial recognition camera’s for the city, body cam’s etc, and Helen’s “hate speech laws”, I think this riot has played right into their hands.
@David: After all of that is brought in, all that will change for the feral tugs in the City Center is you have more of them walking around the street with 100+ convictions without a care in the world and free to carry on breaking the law.
@john dennehy: police especially ours carrying camera tech isnt the answer to a minority of scrotes who hijacked the city on Thursday. Its moving closer to the Chinese system of ‘justice’
@Stiles: I don’t know if they should go but there was definitely a serious case of incompitence on behalf of both. It was obvious to all that the ultra nationalist far right section of society were mobilising. “Burying their heads in the sand” is an understatement.
Dublin City centre has not been safe for a long time , it used be late at night but now it’s any time , There is no excuse for groups , very often young persons , intimidating , people , sometimes on scooters and skateboards, and the Gardai turn a blind eye . The Gardai can’t be everywhere but most of the city centre is covered by cctv, it’s not a big area, . The Minister should resign , she maintains Dublin is safe , maybe she does not watch the news, or speak with the business groups or constituents in the city centre,’
What I find particularly weakening is that this event if want for a better word should have been expected by our law enforcement. Extremely reactionary as the gardai were out in force last night taking no nonsense, as they should. We all want to feel safe in our country. Mr Harris and co failed from a strategic perspective as this should have been anticipated…however, it truly shows how detached some people are from the reality. The stabbings were heinous. I’m a child of the 80s, Ireland has its own problems; middle class poverty, small businesses shutting down, rampant crime etc. The last we need to do is import more problems. I’m all for immigration, but through the correct channels and correct paperwork etc. We need tougher laws, a no nonsense approach to crime, investvest in our cities
By the way the relative total censorship as the violence broke out Thursday lunchtime was obvious across the media, absolutely obvious and even outfits that are still too powerful on the media such as Sky news did it – the same Sky news who have lied routinely about Israel-hamas, the hostages deal they’ve been on lying about this week, the migrant crisis etc. there is little accountability for these people and in Ireland fine gael, FF, the gardai are far too unaccountable and following Thursday’s events that is just unacceptable
Dublin city center has turned into a lawless kip and was made worse by the Covid Lockdowns when the feral groups of tugs took over, law and order seems to be a thing of the past in Dublin.
It seems that the attacker has serious mental health issues with one of his family members contacting the Gardai hours after the attack to let them know he had been a normal man until he suffered a brain tumour two years ago, after which time he started to suffer from acute mental health problems. No criminal convictions but had faced prosecution in May (charged with possession of a knife and criminal damage to a car in April. The Judge made ‘no order’ in line with the law (when a judge rules that there is a significant mental health aspect to the case. He was let down and so were we, especially those caught up and injured in the attack.
@Tom Dillon: stop trying to justify his actions….he should serve his time have his citizenship stripped and sent on the first plane out of here….the justice minister hasn’t a breeze and same with the head of the Gardai they should both resign or sacked for the way they handled the situation and by the way if it was an irish person who did it they desereved to be locked up for a long time
@Gordon Rafferty: its ironic really to sit back and consider the last even 4 or 5 years if you look at the uk- the amount of anti brexit coverage was absolutely phenomenal, hugely to influence the Irish to be against it and before they left the Manchester bomber was let stay in their country and subsequently carried out his attack. but over in the Irish media all and anyone who even used some of the coherent arguments that motivated support for Brexit across the years was called right wing or a knuckle dragger. has to be some dark irony in that
@Gordon Rafferty: where is the justification in that comment?! Also, if he was native Irish, what would have happened to him for possession of a knife and criminal damage exactly? Not much, if anything. Let’s see what happens when he is charged and sentenced before we make comparisons.
@Tom Dillon: prison is not the answer to mental health issues, nor is it even cost effective. Our entire mental health strategy and delivery needs to be over hauled starting with getting rid of FFG. Not just individual ministers to be replaced by clones of same.
@Tom Dillon: justice system in this country is too soft bleeding heart brigade has distroyed it…more prisons and more time for people who commit crimes and people who entered this country is to exit the same way they came in and our own send them away
@Peter Murray:
Can’t deport naturalised Irish Citizens, ¢reⲧinous goon….dissect him for scientific study or map out and molecularly examine his entire genome to try and determine why he carried out such a vile heinous act of barbarism….unless he of course recants, begs forgiveness, accepts fully monitored mandatory psych-oactive treatment and be made to make ammends somehow, if the victims so wish it!
There has been a very clear build up to things, it started with the targeting of gay people, then tourists. City centre has not been safe since the lockdown. Poverty, homelessness, housing crisis, health service warrants a national emergency, cost of living, and an out of touch government. I will never condone violence, but it was very predictable.
The commissioner ignited further division by blaming one group during a live broadcast whilst the riots were still happening. His job is to promote peace, restore calm and investigate what happened, instead he chose to pour fuel on an already out of control fire. He lacked objectivity in this case which could have caused further unrest. We needed a clam head and he didn’t show that
Maybe the Minister might visit some convenience stores in the city centre like Spar and ask them why they need 1 or 2 bouncers , these businesses pay rates, give employment , but are not safe, they are not nightclubs, this has been going on for years , it’s big in Asia also in places like Kuala Lumpur for shops to have private security and shows law and order in Dublin city centre has completely broken down.
Obvious the Journal wants her gone knowing this particular truth, unlike other truths would be discussed. McEntee was not wide enough for trouble brewing on Thursday but is cunning enough to be playing sex offender amendments knowing it’s easy irrelevant low hanging fruit to pander to the rest of us. McEntee is not the problem, the problem is the rot that the political establishment has become in this country as it lords it over us. When a FF Tániste who wants to take Ireland into NATO is sticking up for a FG justice minister, you know the game is up for democracy in Ireland. We have a left dictatorship using democracy as a weapon because it controls the narrative. Josef Goebbels learnt that in the ‘30s. The Dáil is only useful for those shouting inside it – careerists.
This Government has lost control of our borders , and on Thursday they lost control of our streets…..I’ve lost all confidence in them ….this is the basics of running a country…..and they can’t get it right……
@Stiles: What is it with Fine Gael and law & order? How many Garda Commissioners and Justice Ministers have they gone through? For a party who would love Orwellian surveillance of society they can’t even get the basics right. Please put the people of Ireland out of their misery and call an early election.
On my opinion Helen McEntee is very good and should not resign! I found on the internet several stories about Algerian men stubbing people in Ireland. Several people who lived in asylum hostels with them said that there were constant conflicts and fights started by Algerians. Looks like they just have mad mentality. Simply need to stop giving them refuge status and let them to stub each other in their own country.
Look there is a serious problem with this Harris lad and senior management that has seriously affected the guards on the street, for sure has led to guards shortage that has led to a very serious lack of police IG the inner city giving gangs free range to whatever they want, inner city is unsafe.
Harris and the minister are responsible the buck stops there. Modern up to date police management is required and unfortunately the Irish police don’t have it.
Irish Ministers and TDs don’t resign; they are sacked. It’s rare for any of them to go willingly even when the writing is on the wall. McEntee is out of her depth and Harris has lost the confidence of his Force. But they will hang on until the bitter end and they’re pushed.
Fine Gael – the party of Law and Order? What a joke. What a laugh. And Varadkar stands there preening himself seemingly oblivious to the oncoming political storm.
Another side of the problem is that certain cohort of people (in Ireland they call them kn…rs) allowed to steal and burn cars – joyriding everyone calls it. There were videos how Garda cars were just observing kn…rs riding and crashing stolen cars and doing absolutely nothing!!!!! While if ordinary person burnes a car or two down he will spend many years in jail! So by keeping blind aye on people first burning stolen rubbish bins and bikes in parks – called Halloween joy, then peoples cars – called joyriding….Garda grew up a crowd of people who is above the law and those people just did what is normal thing for them – burn! So absolutely nobody will be thrown in jail for burning a tram, bus, cars… because it is already normalized for specific cohort of people!!!!
If you mobilise the mob with social media posts the way it happened in Dublin, and I am talking about well known individuals, you would end up in jail tonight. In Germany. With all the footage on the internet, police would be able to identify at least half of the thugs. And they would also end up in jail tonight. In Germany. Why is the Irish Government so incompetent? People on trolleys in hospitals.. unheard of in Germany. There would be uproar!
I feel a bit sorry for the Gardai. Underresourced and underpaid. No wonder they are leaving the job and fair play to those staying! Ireland needs some changes, and I am not talking about refugees!!
Guards sent into that in normal uniforms, guards being shipped into Dublin, borrowing a water canon just in case – doesn’t sound like the main people are at the top of their game does it?
@John Kelly: “C” grade leadership with world-class salaries. We are being conned but they will have each others backs so long as the cheques keep rolling in.
I understand young people are getting older living with their parents is not ideal, now 13,000 homeless. Something went terribly wrong since Fine Gael came to power and the root of this can be found on the day the finance Minister Michael Noonan opened up Ireland to allow non residents and citizens to buy properties here, he welcomed in the Vulture funds, who are the destroyer of young people aspiring to owning a home. It all started then. Look at the mess. I wrote to Sinn Fein and asked they close this open door to future vulture funds buying property here. If the current ones cannot bulk sell their property portfolios they drop the price because only an Irish resident can buy them.
As regards the police Fine Gael Minister Shatter for Justice closed a lot of police stations. Michael Martin is the nodding donkey of Irish politics who backed and voted with Brian Cowen to bankrupt Ireland.
It’s time to get rid of these politicians who have done this.
@AnthonyK: That’s completely right. For their protection and the protection of citizens, they should be turned on when their shift starts and only turned off when their shift ends. I wonder would all members of the force embrace that level of scrutiny
McEntee is a joke , all talk no action . Harris needs to be given Guards for the streets , of which there currently seems to be none that why these lowlife feel they can do anything they want with impunity.
Until the Gardaí are given a free hand to deal with these types of thugs, what can we expect. Arrest them, they’re out on bail five minutes later compliments of the taxpayer funded free legal aid. Harsher sentencing or other measures will bring a deluge of condemnation from bleeding heart liberals and cries about their human rights. Ironically, much of this would come from some of the very groups who are complaining about nothing being done. It’s a no win situation….
The attack on the carer and the children is one thing, the riot is another thing. The link between the two is right wing elements using event 1 to rile up their “followers” for a “protest” which given the right numbers and element of surprise etc resulted in event 2. The right wing element are responding to the announcement that the attacker was Algerian. Neither groups give a damn about the victims of event 1. The right wing elements purpose is served by creating publicity for their agenda and no doubt acting as a recruitment source. The thugs purpose is served because it works as a power play to push the police further out of their territories, stops any other group from setting up opposing gangs and allows them to carry on and/or increase their criminality, and also recruit more thugs.
Going on the their past record, and that of the government, The MOJ and Commisioner meeting will result in another short lived plan to address the “issue” , put a bit of PR spin on it, but ultimately it will be back to normal in a few weeks time.
What happened on Thursday was despicable and deeply saddening but not that surprising, you only have to look at the news stories the last few years to see that we were heading that way. As has happened in other cities in recent years.
People of Ireland thats what ye get when ye soaked up the FFG brainwash before voting on the lisbon treaty and Jim Corr was lambasted and laughed at for telling ye so
Body cam and facial recognition as well as freeing up Gardai by civilian staff is some of the nonsense you will hear. Every person out that night had a camera phone going, nobody stopped. They wrapped up in a scarf. Get real.
Body cams probably will be more of use in sorting complaints but are easily overcame by a hoodie or a scarf. Invest that money in more Garda rather than hand to some private cowboy as a cash prize.
Walk into your local police and see who greets you it will be a garda, ask who manages a jailed person, it’ll be a garda. In fact every tough job is still that of a garda. The civilian approach got it wrong and it seems we took out the HSE manual and created a suite of reporting and recording systems that ultimately tie Gardai to desks and provide no value to policing. Gardai must fill in so much in order to keep these systems fed. This keeps bums in offices of which non were in offices during Covid and are not required, the job that is required is to deal bad people.. This puts many Gardai behind desk. Also the resonance of the Public order chap that was jailed for breaking a camera last year in another similar riot. This should of been and was the final neutering of the irish police force.
When this happens and a command is giving Gardai should be exempt from any form of prosecution. The commander should then have the metal to back up that order.
it does not matter if its the Minister or Commissioner or the wider government, getting rid of any or all of them wont make a blind bit of difference until there are more Gardai on the streets.
there needs to be more Gardai NOW – thats the point – or else we have lost the city
Amazing the amount of brilliant policing specialists on here and taking their lead from the leadership of Sinn Fein/IRA who cannot bring themselves to condemn the violence perpetrated in this country and still cannot find it within themselves to hand over to the bodies it disappeared. Whatever I Think of the current leadership in the department of justice I do not want IRA sympathisers in charge
@Tim Brennan: the country moved on from past northern Irish troubles, I interviewed catholics and Protestant about that time considering Martin McGuinness RIP was running for the presidency here, their response surprised me because they would have both voted for him understanding he stood for rights of the suppressed catholics for years.
However if like Finna Fail, and Fine Gael you are happy to keep bringing up the past that people have moved on from then do not leave out Michael Collins or Eamon Devalera both were war murdering villains of innocent British . What the difference
Having had the misfortune to live in homeless accommodation in the North Inner City and being an admitted snob after studying and working my a$s off to buy my own home at 23… I’m disgusted as I lived with the excuse for a human in a hostel for 19 months during the lockdown. He was regularly wielding knives. Nobody did anything. I gave him my number under duress and he harassed me and many others.
Harris has surrounded himself by his Northern buddies. If the rolls were reversed there’s no way the PSNI would allow someone from the South to run their Police forse. I would hope the South would stop bending over backwards.
This has been happening for years. I’m from ballymun and I’m afraid to go into town. Basically anywhere around o’connell Street is a no go area. These people think they own the street.
Their policies have ruined our country. The man who stabbed the kids was previously in court for knife charges but was dismissed. Ashling Murphy’s murderer was previously charged with sex offence .. yet they can come to Ireland and roam around , free to kill
Just to finish – that burn everything “permission” (or blind eye) for kn…rs was normalized long time ago so Helen has nothing to do with that. Just to many people who got used to burn everything from the young age without any punishment came together in one place. And nobody will send them to jail for burning a tram with the bus. So they might well repeat.
With every new crisis along comes a new law rushed in…..now the government to introduce facial recognition because of the riots. Theu will say it is for the safety of everyone. Our freedoms are slowly being eroded!
Didn’t even vote for her, her party came third in the elections yet they are in government. Imagine that. Some democracy we have here.. sinn fein get most of the first preference votes yet our first preference doesn’t matter. People like that shouldn’t hold positions where they can’t be fired or removed. It’s a joke. She’s completely out-of touch and drew Harris couldn’t care less about the republic of Ireland. This government has failed.. what more donthenIriah people need in order to wake up.. I bet they will still vote for them. Not to mention those justice committee will tell them, there there, you’re doing a fine job,
They knew rioting was inevitable. Look at whats happening across Europe, we are just the last country for trouble because of our location.
With our to Garda a former mi5 agent he does not understand Irish people.
Should we not have seen rioting on Thursday?
Of course not, they were angry Irish men not ‘far right’ as he was quick to spout out.
3 kids get stabbed are we supposed to just keep on going without nothing happening?
Irish are fed up to the hilt with him and the rhetoric been slanted on this
@Margaret Deacon: What!!!?????
Nobody recruited nobody.
Did you see the video of 3 black males being stopped from looting by inner city men?
There was groups of Irish men stopping people from looting.
This was no far right nothing it was angry Irishmen venting. Ok they went too far but you need to be more informed
I wonder what’s like without immigrants in this country that look after the sick feeding and washing their grandma and grandpa. Hospitality sector. Delivering their food. Cleaning the toilets. Those immigrants working on road maintenance. More than 60% of foreign companies are immigrants the like of Google.
@Bomber: It’s the illegal unvetted freeloaders that never worked a day in Ireland nor have any intention of doing so that people want to be deported. Anyone with the skills and is willing to work and abide by our laws is welcome. People who just turn up for the welfare and have no intention of contributing are not welcome in our country.
@Pat Collins:
Hear hear fella!! Round them up for digital detoxing, deprogramming, hard labour until deemed worthy of being Gaels or at least capable of being deemed sons or daughters of Éireann Go Brath….no their twisted self-corrupting vile notions of Aryan go bra, no knickers and Allo’s snack bar etc ecteRA….InshAllah! ;~}
@Ian McDonald: really? Not the fact the government has done an absolute horror of a job and watched in as the garda saw numbers leave and did nothing and 99% of garda votes No confidence in harris yet nothing was done. Yeah, blame the people who have enough of these failures
@Jason: Imagine almost ALL your work force voting against you and you not resigning?
The man very quickly told all and sundry “it was the LUNATIC far right” responsible for rioting.
It was not. It was plain and simple angry Irish people who’ve had enough of his blame game and nothing being done about crime.
There groups of IRISH MEN stopping people from looting.
Go check the videos and make up your own minds.
The city hasn’t seen anything like that since the early 70s. Any Garda involved at that time is long retirement. No Garda on the force has ever seen that. So cut them so slack. It’s as rare as hens teeth.
Lads this will be like USA claim they beat terrosim, when in fact it just subjected us to security tourist terisom for years!! It will make us a police state for years if we are not careful and mange the idiots who control social media. The army should have been deployed when that state way attacked, and the fools taken down.
@Shane C: surely ‘the ______ who control sm’ include fine gael TDs and ministers who use propaganda to fib and get re elected, demonise and call out Dublin as a far right city like they have done since Thursday.
Harris is a bully and his management style allows managers to do the same. Gaurds leaving on a weekly basis. They are sick of it. McEntee out of her depth and Leo and Martin are bluffers !!
Would people cop on, and avoid the politics, what happened in Dublin has absolutely nothing to do with The minister and Garda Commissioner, it is to do with with lawless ??? that think they represent ordinary honest law abiding citizens. Stop this nonsense and political scoring. I am sickened by the this vulture culture.
@Seamus Langan: do you even hear yourself remotely ? you’re so blinkered its unreal. FG are on the media AND in our lives routinely slandering all who don’t support them with reactionary usually historical talk about SF and are supposed to be the government. however, they have only made Ireland descend rapidly into lawlessness. zero morals in that post
Well after all thats happened the past week, surely now yiz know that no one should vote FFG again.
Look at our beautiful island, look whats happening to it.
This is only the start if you think differently then you need to educate yourself more.
Just look across European cities. Im no racist, no anti-immigration.
Im anti-crime full stop.
Not every immigrant is properly vetted otherwise we wouldnt have criminals coming in.
We’ve enough of our own.
Who’s responsible? FFG…..
The same thing happened in 2008 with the credit crunch. Oh nobody could have predicted it? Well then why was it the talk in the London social scene all through 2006 and 2007? Hell, even I knew about it! And I heard about it in 2006!!!
Recently you wouldn’t support the rank and file when they were looking for some basis entitlements to be able to do their job. You turned your back on them and left it up to Harris who you know wouldn’t entertain them. Even your Leader Leo said the GRA had no right to have a meeting with you and it was your call. I would like to remind you that it was these people that you wouldn’t support a few weeks ago bailed you and the rest of us out during the week. You need to move on now and stop throwing money at every problem to bail yourself out.
The minister has done nothing wrong and in fact has got through some positive changes recently. Yet another pointless witch-hunt by Sinn Fein, pathetic really.
The disgraceful actions by a mob was brought under control within a few hours by our excellent Garda and 48 trouble makers arrested
with hopefully many more in the next few days.
Taking a cheap shot at the Minister and the Commissioner is a typical reaction by those who have nothing to offer.We are blessed to to have a Garda Force who have a great relationship with Communities throughout the Country which makes Ireland a great place to live and do business in.
@Hotirish: another one that thinks getting a hate speech law in is an achievement….its number 73 on the list no point in having laws if we can’t do the job and enforce them ….we have station with 2 members meaning the station on a Saturday night in Dublin let alone the closed and part time station around the country……the idiot light is on on the dashboard for no fuel and the minister is still trying to drive us
@Hotirish: you see total indifference, ineptitude and ministers only there because of the parish pump as ‘not gong much wrong,’ how clueless can you get? FG caused the circumstances that led to Thursdays attack. they have not got the public on their side anymore even the anti SF type will have to finally slowly wake up!!
Keep Helen and Simon, nobody can see stuff like this coming. It will never change the situation of who is the minister of justice or the Garda commissioner, NOT THEIR FAULT .
To all to those people protesting against the immigrants. How big would the population of Ireland be if we hadn’t had the famine? Would it be 18million? 20million? It’s now at 6 million. The #irelandisfull has been trending for these riots. We live in one of the least densely populated country in the EU. We need immigrants and their children to be integrated into Irish society. We have an aging population. Where are we going to find the workers to pay for our pensions in the future. Immigration! Are there people with mental issues that will get in but no more than in the general population. So next time you loose your mind over someone posting on social media about something inflammatory. Ask yourselves” is this really so?” before you go off and riot & start burning cars etc
I really don’t understand why the governmental parties are seeking g the resignation of McEntee and pressing Harris.
What happened last week is a culmination of years of the Irish government and the Irish society working hard to insure people who don’t like to work, who raise children who don’t like to work supported by tax money to insure they don’t have to work. The government does nothing to remove these folks from the welfare rolls. Their excuse, because… It’s not the children’s fault…. Well, what do most of these children grow up to be? They become at worst thugs, the best another generation of people supported welfare.
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