asked the Minister for Justice if he will state the number of persons injured and the number of instances of damage done to property by mob violence in Drogheda on Sunday, the 27th May.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disturbances in Drogheda.
Three cases of persons being injured were reported to the Gárdaí. The windows of five premises were damaged and in three cases complaints were made that windows and windscreens of motor cars were damaged.
Is action being taken to charge the persons guilty of this conduct?
In the case of two of the civilians, I am informed that action is being taken against them by the persons injured. The persons concerned have so informed the police.
Are the police taking no steps on their own responsibility to charge the persons who were guilty of this particular type of conduct in Drogheda?
We await the proceedings which the people themselves have intimated their intention of taking.
Is not the position from the Minister's point of view this: That mob action took place in Drogheda, that it was perfectly clear for a day or two days beforehand that mob action was going to take place, that no steps were taken by the police to prevent mob action taking place and that no action is going to be taken by the police to secure the punishment of the persons guilty of this conduct?
Two of the aggrieved parties informed the police that they could identify two persons concerned in the particular occurrence. They intimated to the police that they were going to take proceedings themselves.
Are the police themselves not in a position to identify anybody connected with this violence?
No.
Will the Minister say what the police are for or what instructions they have under which it was possible for them to be present at action like this, to identify nobody, to arrest nobody and, subsequently, to charge nobody?
The same position seems to have obtained for the past ten or 12 years. It happened on numerous occasions under the Deputy's Administration.
Is the practice that exists at present going to continue?
It is not. Instructions have been sent out to the Gárda to give all protection possible to meetings and to see that persons guilty of offences are brought to justice wherever it is possible to secure that.
Have any instructions been sent to the Guards that, in view of the fact that organised disturbance and organised destruction is taking place in all parts of the country, they should take preliminary steps, in the first place, to see that that does not happen and, in the second place, to see that, where it does happen, the persons concerned are arrested and charged?
That is settled.
When are the Guards going to act on these instructions?