asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether the persons who made an armed attack on a number of persons in Cliffoney, County Sligo, on the night of the 28th-29th April have since been identified and charged with the offence; and, if so, if he will state how many persons have been so charged.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Occurrences at Cliffoney (County Sligo) and Waterford.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether the persons who attacked members of the League of Youth in the vicinity of their hall in Waterford on the night of the 28th-29th April have yet been identified and charged; and, if so, if he will state how many persons have been so charged.
I propose to take questions Nos. 5 and 6 together. I have nothing to add to the replies which I gave to the questions asked by the Deputy upon the same matters last week.
May I say that I do not see why these two questions should be bracketed together? Is the Minister aware that three weeks have passed since, as the Press reported, an attack was made by ten armed men on some men in Cliffoney and one man was very seriously injured? Will the Minister say what exactly is being done to follow up this case?
The files are at present with the State Solicitor for instructions.
Do I understand that these persons have been identified and are being charged?
I do not propose to answer that at the present moment, but I think the Deputy can draw his own conclusions.
Is the Minister aware that very serious disturbances occurred in Waterford as the result of members of the League of Youth being attacked when leaving their hall; that the attackers followed the members of the League of Youth into the hall and were only ejected by force; and that it does not appear that anything has been done since except a search of the League of Youth hall in Waterford by detectives and a personal search of members of the League of Youth on the streets of Waterford? Does he think that action of that particular kind is conducive to restraining the unruly and mob element in the City of Waterford and preventing occurrences such as that?
In view of the answer I have given, I do not think that it would be proper that I should discuss this matter further at this stage.