A garda who was hit by a bottle after he and his colleague were attacked by a mob is expected to be off work for weeks.
The officer went to hospital for treatment following the vile incident on a road in Ballyfermot on Monday. The garda’s injuries were not as bad as first feared, but he suffered soft tissue injuries to his face and jaw as well as concussion.
He and his colleague were swarmed by a large group when several bottles and missiles were thrown at them, with one hitting him in the face. The incident followed a funeral for a young man, who died unexpectedly earlier this month, at the Church of the Assumption in Ballyfermot.
Gardai had a policing plan in place as they had anticipated a number of scrambler bikes would be out. However they only intervened when an elderly woman was almost hit by one of the dozens tore around the roads of the Dublin suburb.
A number of garda vehicles were also damaged there on Monday. A policing plan remained in place there that night but no more incidents happened that evening.
Later on, two men were arrested at a filling station on Kylemore road before they were released with a file going to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Brendan O’Connor, the President of the Garda Representative Association, said the issue was “disturbing” and it highlights what members of the force are facing.
He added: “We repeat our calls for the Minister for Justice to set up a taskforce to tackle the huge challenges facing policing. To address the number one problem, which is the shortage of gardai.”
The General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors Antoinette Cunningham insisted that the issues around recruiting and retention of staff must be addressed. She said: “The Government promised a recruitment of 800 gardaí last year, they achieved just over 120.”
READ NEXT:
- Irish dad opens up on rare 'Celtic Curse' blood disorder
- Brave Dublin teen thanks Late Late Show viewers for raising €325,000 for Debra Ireland
- Dublin pharmacist warns against stockpiling amid surge in demand for Calpol
- Family fear homelessness as they face eviction from their home of 60 years, Dail told
First-ever Holi celebrations set to take place in north Dublin
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
