The children’s minister has said he is “eager” to see more people arrested in relation to arson attacks on buildings, saying the gardaí are treating the investigations seriously.
Roderic O’Gorman said it is “hugely important” to see the full force of the law applied to people who are attacking buildings rumoured or earmarked to house asylum seekers.
He said it was “nothing short of a miracle” that no one has been injured or worse in the attacks.
Gardaí and the Government have been grappling with a series of incidents at premises rumoured to be used for asylum seekers.
Gardaí made a number of arrests this week in relation to an arson attack at a vacant pub in Ringsend on New Year’s Eve.
Mr O’Gorman welcomed the arrests, saying that the building was never going to be used by his department, which oversees the allocation of housing for people seeking international protection.
He said: “It was actually to be used by Dublin Regional Homeless Executive. We were very clear at that time before Christmas, when we were asked about it, that we were not using it.”
His comments come after a house in Leixlip, Co Kildare, was set ablaze earlier this week.
The house was rumoured to be planned accommodation for asylum seekers.
Despite gardaí telling protesters outside the house that it was not going to be used to house asylum seekers, they were not believed, and the property was later attacked.
“Similarly, in Leixlip, we had got queries in over the last two weeks, ‘Are you planning to use this building?’. We were very clear with the public reps who came out to us that we weren’t using it,” Mr O’Gorman added.
“So we endeavour to be as clear as possible at all times about our plans when we are planning to use a building and whether we are not.
“Ultimately, if someone is going to go out and burn a building, what our department does isn’t going to stop that. We have to just recognise this.
“Someone who’s made a decision to take a criminal act isn’t going to change their decision because of better communications from our department.
“But we will always provide the accurate information to public reps so they can continue to provide information within their own location.”
He added: “I think it’s hugely important that we see the full force of the law applied to people who are undertaking these attacks. It’s criminal. It’s dangerous. It’s nothing short of a miracle that no one has been injured or worse in these attacks so far.
“They also obviously make the job that my department has, which is a job to provide accommodation for vulnerable people, far more difficult. So I think that I, from my engagement with the (Garda) Commissioner (Drew Harris), I see the extent, the seriousness with which the gardaí are taking this.
“Ultimately, the charges that the gardai and the designation of charges that the gardaí lay against people is up to them in terms of what they believe they can prove.
“I am eager to see arrests and charges take place.”
