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Garda search teams in a lane behind a house as they continued a detailed examination of a house and the surrounding wasteland in the Rathmullen Park area in Drogheda Eamonn Farrell via RollingNews.ie

Garda association calls for extra resourcing after 'shocking levels of violence' in recent days

Gardaí have confirmed human remains found in Dublin 3 earlier this week were that of Keane Mulready-Woods.

THE ASSOCIATION OF Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has said it cannot remain silent following the “shocking levels of violence” that has beset Irish society in recent days. 

The body that represents 2,300 sergeants and inspectors said they have to reiterate previous calls for more resourcing of the force as a matter of urgency. 

“We must keep justice and Garda matters to the fore during this election campaign period and we must advocate or the members that we represent,” Deputy General Secretary Antoinette Cunningham said.

Earlier this week, gardaí confirmed that dismembered remains found in Coolock, north Dublin were that of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods from Drogheda. 

Last night, gardaí announced that a DNA test has confirmed that the human remains found on Trinity Terrace in Dublin 3 on Wednesday morning are also that of Mulready-Woods. 

Elsewhere, two men were hospitalised yesterday following a shooting incident in Swords, north Dublin.

AGSI has said its advocacy will now focus on a number of key areas following the recent incidents. 

“As an association, and taking into consideration the shocking levels of violence that have emerged in Irish society over the last number of months, our advocacy will focus on four key areas,” Cunningham said. 

These areas include: 

  • A commitment, from whatever government is elected, to long-term sustainable resourcing of An Garda Síochána.
  • An acknowledgement of the concern of AGSI for the safety of our own members as first responders to the many of the violent and aggressive incidents that are happening all too often. 
  • A commitment to increase the funding available to the Garda organisation to ensure they are provided with up-to-date training, equipment, accommodation and fleet to do our job to the highest possible standard.

AGSI said it also wishes to ask politicians if they understand the current Operating Policing Model that is being rolled out, and how this might affect the policing of communities in their constituency. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar yesterday said he will consider attending a public rally against violence in Drogheda next week if he’s available and if he’s invited. 

Speaking of Mulready-Woods, Varakar said yesterday morning that “the nation is shocked by the depravity of the murder” and that he himself expressed his “revulsion and total condemnation” at the killing.

Cunningham said that AGSI is “frustrated that only when there is an escalation of crime that there is political reaction”.

“Whatever government is successful in General Election 2020, we want them to know that our members have the ear of the public in every constituency in this country as people want to feel safe and secure and raise children in communities that are not overrun by criminal elements,” she said. 

“We rely on the goodwill of local people and they place their trust in us,” she added.

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38 Comments
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    Mute DERRY1973
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    Jan 18th 2020, 7:45 AM

    Bring back the rope for any of these murdering b*****DS.

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    Mute Tony Gordon
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    Jan 18th 2020, 7:51 AM

    @DERRY1973: also impose a mandatory 5 years on conviction of gang membership.

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    Mute gm_cmanning
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    Jan 18th 2020, 8:48 AM

    @DERRY1973: no don’t. Just fully resource the Gardaí and serious sentencing that means what it says. No one with 100+ convictions or half that should be walking around.

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    Mute DERRY1973
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    Jan 18th 2020, 9:01 AM

    @gm_cmanning: your to soft pal

    12
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    Mute gm_cmanning
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    Jan 18th 2020, 9:33 AM

    @DERRY1973: no I’m not. I’m a realist. The death penalty doesn’t reduce crime and at times kills innocent people. Vast majority of civilised countries don’t use it.

    29
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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:04 AM

    @Tony Gordon: Too lenient! Give them the rope and then 5 years mandatory sentencing after that! Seriously though, no one wants Ireland to regress to Saudi Arabia with a Death penalty. Let’s every keep our shoes on and calm down.

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    Mute Peter Hughes
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:36 AM

    @DERRY1973: The problem is there is no room in the prisons….we need another large prison to put these animals away long term

    29
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    Mute Matthew O'Kane
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:36 AM

    @DERRY1973: hurting more people will only make more violence, violence begets more violence, only thing that will stop this is if the gaurds put pressure on the government right now during the election for more 1,000s gaurds recruited, to reopen the stations find geal rural closed stations more squad cars gaurds on the beat seeing gaurds is the best and oldest deterrent fine geal has scaled back all of the policing services ud almost think they where on the gangs side for the lack of law and order

    12
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    Mute DERRY1973
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:49 AM

    @gm_cmanning: the vast majority of civilised countries are 2 soft.

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    Mute Chaos Ape
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    Jan 18th 2020, 12:45 PM

    @DERRY1973: yyyyyaawwnn…!

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Jan 18th 2020, 12:56 PM

    @Tony Gordon: we can’t have laws like that in the new funky liberal IRELAND

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    Mute DERRY1973
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    Jan 18th 2020, 3:39 PM

    @Chaos Ape: Ape by name Ape by nature

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    Mute Sean Salmon
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    Jan 18th 2020, 6:11 PM

    Would you seriously want to see your son or daughter facing a capital crime being investigated by corrupt thugs and a judiciary which more often than not decides your guilt or innocence by your post code

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    Mute gm_cmanning
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    Jan 18th 2020, 6:33 PM

    @DERRY1973: yeah we all need to be tough like you.

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    Mute Marty Mc.Sligo
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    Jan 18th 2020, 7:52 AM

    Any party that commits to law and order and really means it will be getting my vote in the upcoming election.Dublin seems to be turning into a very violent altogether and this needs to stop or else a lot of people will be leaving the place.

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    Mute Ebeneezer Goode
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    Jan 18th 2020, 7:58 AM

    @Marty Mc.Sligo: Was thinking of moving to Sixmilebridge but I think I’m ssfer in Dublin.

    46
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    Mute Cormac Laffan
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    Jan 18th 2020, 8:38 AM

    @Ebeneezer Goode: At least they miss in Sligo.

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    Mute Damien Barton
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    Jan 18th 2020, 8:12 AM

    But Leo said he’s giving you all the resources you need? Could he be telly porkies? I think so

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    Mute Matt Paris
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    Jan 18th 2020, 8:32 AM

    Sensible sentencing is required. End of.

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    Mute peter crew
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    Jan 18th 2020, 9:44 AM

    @Matt Paris: also if the guard object to bail the judge should listen. How many criminals are out on bail that shiuldnt be and are committing more offences

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    Mute Dom Layzell
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:06 AM

    @Matt Paris: I agree, but the real Elephant in the room, that’s not discussed by our Politicians, is Prison space? There Isn’t enough. If the culprits are caught, I’ll bet that they are already known to the Guards or already have a string of convictions but haven’t been appropriately sentenced, out again to wallow in the fruits of their crime.
    & ordinary Joe & their family (Kids especially) have to try and swerve the bullets when these Guys are selling their poisons.
    The Politicians are the Legislators, remember that when they come knocking?

    43
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    Mute Martin McFly
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    Jan 18th 2020, 9:22 AM

    Leo and his money pit of an idea putting the Children’s hospital in the worst possible place. He’ll bankrupt the state again when those funds could have easily been put into policing and have the Children’s hospital built for half it on a greenfield site on the M50.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Jan 18th 2020, 8:30 AM

    We don’t have the prison space for these criminals. The guards will catch some of this gang and our courts will release more from other gangs to make room for this lot. More cells and a good welder to make sure when we lock violent criminals up they stay locked up.

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    Mute Vera Dawber Power
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    Jan 19th 2020, 9:25 PM

    @Chris Mc: …..Well said. The punishment MUST fit the crime……. No point in ‘pussyfooting’ around these ‘ delightful ‘ humans, is there ?????

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    Mute Irisheyes
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    Jan 18th 2020, 12:32 PM

    There is no fear of consequences anymore that’s the problem, you see people time and again been given too lenient sentences for horrible crimes. The law needs to toughen up and bring in proper punishments not slaps on the wrists and suspended sentences.

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    Mute Pauline Cahill
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    Jan 18th 2020, 12:00 PM

    Well if government can give diplomats millions in different countries surely they can upgrade the Gardai

    21
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    Mute Matthew O'Kane
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:40 AM

    The only thing that will stop this is if the gaurds put pressure on the government right now during the election for more 1,000s gaurds recruited, to reopen the rural stations find geal closed, more squad cars, gaurds on the beat seeing gaurds is the best and oldest deterrent community policing gaurds living in the areas they police talking to their neighbors, encouraging people to uphold the law, fine geal has scaled back all of the policing services ud almost think they where on the gangs side for the lack of law and order

    18
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    Mute Matthew O'Kane
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:50 AM

    @Matthew O’Kane: forgot to mention fine geal forced the gardai to threateni strike action in the last government something that hasnt happened in decades this was very damaging to law and order too fine geal have been at the front of undermining the garadi

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    Mute Tony Brady
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    Jan 18th 2020, 11:07 AM

    The only resource missing in the Gardaí is a willingness to get up of their butts and uphold the laws regarding gangs and the supply of drugs. Both of which they have allowed to get out of control

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    Mute Cindy Brolin
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    Jan 18th 2020, 10:37 AM

    If prison space is an issue, the Irish authorities can buy this service abroad and send long terrm convicts there to serve their sentence.

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    Mute Morning Gus
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    Jan 18th 2020, 3:16 PM

    The real issue here is what to do about known active criminals in society. The Gardai can arrest them repeatedly but there is no functional plan in place for what to do about them. The entire justice system needs to be looked at as a whole, including the legal profession and the courts. I know this will never happen as they are exempt criticism. But calls for reform of the garda are like calling for reform of the nurses as a solution to the HSE crisis. The problems are very deep and very serious I’m afraid.

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    Mute Hanzee
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    Jan 18th 2020, 2:53 PM

    Put the army out on the street.

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    Mute Morning Gus
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    Jan 18th 2020, 3:08 PM

    @Hanzee: Can you elaborate? Do you want the army to shoot criminals or suspects, or both. They will require instruction on how to proceed.

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    Mute Vin
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    Jan 18th 2020, 9:53 PM

    Why? The Garda are scared to go into Darndale. I saw teenagers on scramblers on a road in coolock riding alongside a roads policing unit taking the piss out of them.

    How will the resources be used?

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    Mute Stephen Maher
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    Jan 19th 2020, 12:56 AM

    Not at all, Violence ? Leo said its grand, Ireland is very safe.

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    Mute john reynolds
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    Jan 18th 2020, 5:18 PM

    P.S.U. unit so understaffed hasn’t taken on a new case in over a year backlog of old cases some more than a year old without even a statement taken accused people can go around completely uninvestigated after all the money spent on child abuse investigations where back to square 1 minister for justice and minister for children should hang thier heads in shame

    2
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    Mute TJC Mc
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    Jan 18th 2020, 5:15 PM

    It’s gonna continue unless something is damn well done to combat this and have the facilities to lock these thugs up and leave them there….the public deserve to feel and live peacefully

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    Mute Jacqueline Flynn
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    Jan 21st 2020, 5:46 PM

    Bring the army in to help deal with this?? Something drastic needs to be done! These monsters in our communities will clearly stop at nothing! It’s gotten to a whole new level now! We are dealing with psychopaths and sociopaths!! We need more community solidarity, show these animals we are not putting up with it anymore. Wedesperately need intervention of some kind!

    1
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