Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last Thursday was one of the most shocking days I have ever witnessed in my home town. I know that Deputies across the whole House will want to state their feelings strongly and express their revulsion at the heinous attack on the innocent children and their carer. Like everyone, the minute I heard the news of the horrific knife attack on small children, and on the people minding them, I was frozen to the spot with shock. I send my support and solidarity to the victims, to their families, and to the school and its community. I want to commend the courageous members of the public who put themselves in the way of danger to do everything they could to protect children. Their bravery is an inspiration and an example. It represents the true spirit of Dublin. I also commend the emergency services, paramedics, ambulance service, Dublin Fire Brigade, first responders and gardaí who helped in the immediate aftermath of this attack.

What followed next in Dublin city was a loss of control which left decent people and workers badly exposed. As darkness fell, a mob descended on the city centre with the intention of wreaking havoc. These people were hell-bent on unleashing destruction, menace and fear. As control was lost in our capital city, that is exactly what happened. The thuggery and the robbery which took place on the streets of Dublin put the public at risk, it put workers at risk, and it put gardaí, paramedics, firefighters, and public transport workers at risk. Yesterday, I attended a solidarity demonstration by workers and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to show sympathy and support for the victims of last Thursday’s attack, for those workers who were caught up in the violence and for those who cleared up after the violence. As a gathering of workers, those in attendance sent a clear message denouncing the violence and looting which took place in the city centre and paid tribute to the workers who had to deal with the repercussions. Some workers had to take unpaid leave on Friday because they were afraid to travel into the city for work. Others saw their businesses lose money on what should have been one of the busiest trading days of the year for them. In our health services, I know many migrant doctors and nurses were afraid to attend work last Friday. Over the weekend, I know some companies, including some multinationals, went fully remote to ensure that people did not have to come into the city centre out of concern for the workers.

This is the impact of the destruction which was wrought by a far-right inspired mob and of the loss of control in our city. It was obvious to most that the atmosphere in the city centre was deteriorating quickly. The idea that this was unforeseen is simply not true. Smaller scale escalations of violence have been happening in the city over the past 12 months, and indeed, since Covid-19. It is the job of the Garda Commissioner to use foresight to prevent these escalations, to use the network of intelligence and information, and to err on the side of caution to maintain control of our city. Furthermore, it is up to the Minister for Justice to ensure the Garda has the necessary staff and scope under the law to ensure the maintenance of law and order, the protection of the public, and the protection of public property and private property, and indeed to ensure Garda members can protect themselves. The Minister failed at that. Not only was this not the case last Thursday, but it has not been the case in Dublin city for some time. In August I met with workers, businesses, trade unions and business groups regarding the rise in antisocial behaviour and crime in Dublin. Workers and businesses are living in daily fear of being verbally and physically assaulted, of being robbed or of having their property damaged. They have relayed this to the Government, to Oireachtas committees and in meetings with TDs and Senators. The Minister knows and should have taken cognisance of this. This should not have come as a surprise to her and should not have been news to her because it has been building for a long time. There was no order in Dublin city. Fine Gael, as the party of law and order and of business, can no longer claim that mantle. There was no order in Dublin city for a period last Thursday and it is workers, businesses and communities which are left to count the cost of the Minister's failure.

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