Damage done to public infrastructure in Dublin could cost in the tens of millions of euros, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said, as he urged shoppers to go into the city centre.
Politicians have strongly criticised the violent scenes in Dublin that saw Garda cars, buses and trams set alight and shops looted and damaged.
The clean-up is continuing on Dublin’s thoroughfare O’Connell Street, with burned-out Luas tram carriages lifted off the track by cranes and broken glass and missiles swept away.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said an estimated 500 people were involved in the disorder and said it was important to back the police force amid riotous scenes.
Some 13 shops had been significantly damaged or subjected to looting and 11 Garda cars were damaged. Some Garda members were injured as 400 officers responded to the unrest.
More than 30 people were scheduled to appear before the courts on Friday, charged with offences relating to the misuse of drugs, theft and public order.
Asked about the level of damage at a meeting of the British-Irish Council at Dublin Castle, Mr Varadkar said: “We don’t have a figure on it yet, but it’s likely to be in the tens of millions, rather than the millions.
He said there was a discussion with the Garda Commissioner on Thursday evening on whether to involve the Defence Forces as scenes unfolded, but it was deemed that it “wasn’t warranted”.
“I’ll be talking to business groups this afternoon and, of course, there will be government help available to help them with the cost of repairing the damage… but we just have to work out the details of that.”
He added: “Our advice is that it is safe to come into the city. The riots that occurred last night only occurred in a relatively small part of it, thankfully, and were contained within hours.
“While some shops may not be open, the vast majority are, and we’re saying to people it is safe to come into the city, and that there will be a heightened Garda presence.”
The violence in Dublin flared after a knife attack on three schoolchildren and their care assistant outside a school in the north inner city at about lunchtime on Thursday.
A five-year-old girl is in a critical condition in hospital while the female care assistant, in her 30s, is in a serious condition.
The two other children, a five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, suffered less serious injuries. That girl remains in hospital but the boy has been discharged.
Gardai said a man who sustained serious injuries at the scene is a person of interest in their investigation.
Politicians and police have hailed as heroes members of the public who intervened to halt the attacker at the scene on Parnell Square East, including a Brazilian Deliveroo driver.
Addressing the media early on Friday, Mr Varadkar said Dublin had witnessed “two terrible attacks” on Thursday.
“The first was an attack on innocent children, the second an attack on our society and the rule of law,” he said at Dublin Castle.
“Each attack brought shame to our society and disgrace to those involved and incredible pain to those caught up in the violence.
“As Taoiseach, I want to say to a nation that is unsettled and afraid, this is not who we are, this is not where we want to be, and this is not who we will ever be.”
He added: “Those involved brought shame on Dublin, brought shame on Ireland and brought shame on their families and themselves.
“These criminals did not do what they did because they love Ireland. They did not do what they did because they wanted to protect Irish people. They did not do it out of any sense of patriotism, however warped.
“They did so because they’re filled with hate, they love violence, they love chaos and they love causing pain to others.”
UK secretary of state for levelling up Michael Gove, who also attended the meeting at Dublin Castle, said the riotous scenes in Dublin were “unacceptable wherever it occurs” while Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf praised gardaí for “running towards danger when the rest of us would run away”.
Mr Yousaf said it was important to consider whether we “are appropriately challenging the narrative any extremists whether they’re on the far right or elsewhere, and challenging any narrative that seeks to divide us”.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said some officers had been injured, one seriously, as he blamed the disorder on far-right “hooligans”.
Mr Harris refused to accept that the Dublin riots were “a failure of personnel” and said order was restored between 8.30pm and 9pm.
Asked about the preparedness of the gardaí for the riots, he added: “We could not have anticipated that this would have been the reaction.”
Tánaiste Micheál Martin paid tribute to gardaí and all emergency workers who he described as having put themselves in harm’s way “to deal with the actions of a small minority in our society”.
“And I would say that this is not who we are as a people, Ireland has built a modern and inclusive society. It is something precious that we should all work to hold,” the Tánaiste said.
“We understand the need to respect others, the need to respect differences and the need to respect the dignity of every human being. This is something that we should hold precious and we should collectively as a society come together to recommit to those fundamental values.”
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said there was “very strong legislation”, including prison sentences of up to 12 years for those convicted of attacking gardaí.
Ms McEntee described a “very volatile situation” and said there was a very strong garda presence in Dublin as well as monitoring of online activity.
