Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The Minister claims to have full confidence in the Garda Commissioner. She also claims that no one could have anticipated the appalling violence in Dublin on Thursday. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, was on "Prime Time" last night trying to push the line that none of this was foreseeable. He said that far right activists had used sophisticated communication online to rally their supporters - sophisticated communications. Far right ringleaders were posting public messages on Twitter, Telegram and on other social media platforms from lunchtime on Thursday. The messages were there for everyone to see. The question is was anybody in Government or in Garda HQ reading them. Apparently not, according to Detective Garda Niall Hodgins. Front-line gardaí were reliant on random WhatsApp messages sent by colleagues to try to get reinforcements. He said there was no plan and that it was absolutely chaotic. How does the Minister still have confidence in the Garda Commissioner when she hears that? How can anybody, particularly the people in the north inner city, have confidence in her?

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