*Photograph: John Mangan
CLARE’s Gardaí need more support from Garda Headquarters and the county’s public in tackling ongoing feuding a TD has said.
Online footage has emerged from Ennis over the festive period showing violent scenes on the Mill Rd on Christmas Day. This is understood to be linked to an ongoing feud and saw cars damaged when weapons were brandished and a death threat was also issued with reference also made to a prison sentence issued to a family member.
A fight also occurred on the aisles of Dunnes Stores prior to Christmas. It is unclear if either incident is linked.
Contact has been made with the Garda Commissioner by Deputy Cathal Crowe (FF) TD. He said, “I am pretty sick of feuds in Clare holding our county to ransom and putting innocent lives at risk. I have, again, seen footage of far too many acts of thuggery, violence and criminality over the Christmas period”.
Deputy Crowe contacted the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris when he penned a letter on St Stephen’s Day “urging him to fully utilise the Armed Response Unit, manpower from beyond our local Garda division and the Criminal Assets Bureau to take to task those who make up their own laws. Criminal gangs cannot turn County Clare into a lawless ‘Wild West’ and law and order must prevail.
He added, “I have every confidence in our county’s Gardaí to robustly carry out their duties but they will need additional support from Garda HQ and they will also need greater support from the public – don’t let anyone ‘off the hook’, report everything you see”.
