EXTRA GARDA resources have been sought for Ennistymon amid an ongoing Traveller feud with local representatives calling for the criminality to be met on.
Two men have been arrested following several incidents which occurred in a Travellelor accommodation site Ennistymon on Sunday. The arrests were made on Monday with two males arrested in the Ennistymon area, they are currently detained at Ennis Garda Station under Section 30 Offences against the State Act.
The Clare Echo understands that two Traveller families are feuding with attempts to burn down one home made on Friday, in retaliation a man in his fifties was hospitalised following a shooting with non-life threatening injuries while extensive damage was caused to a number of domestic residences and vehicles.
During this damage, a gang of close to a dozen men were seen entering Deerpark in Ennistymon wearing balaclavas with weapons such as sledge hammers, baseball bats, a scythe, planks of a wood and a firearm, they then proceeded to smash the windows of cars, mobile homes and properties.
Gardaí at Ennistymon Garda Station are investigating a number of incidents including a discharge of a firearm and criminal damage that occurred in Ennistymon on Sunday 27th August 2023.
Crime prevention officer, Triona Brooks stated, “Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to any of these incidents to come forward. Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the Deerpark area of Ennistymon on the evening of Sunday 27th August 2023 are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Ennistymon Garda station on 065 7072180, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station”.
Communities such as Ennistymon have been failed by current Garda management plans, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) said while calling for the levels of criminality to be tackled. “The overwhelming majority of people in Ennistymon are outraged at this activity and the negative attention it draws for the town. It is imperative that this undercurrent of criminality is met full on. In this regard, the continued diminution of Garda resources must be addressed. There is not enough visible Gardaí in the county and those we have are having to spend too much time on paperwork instead of real policing. Current Garda management plans are failing communities,” he told The Clare Echo.
Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) said, “the level of lawlessness witnessed in Ennistymon is extreme. It is deeply worrying in its brazenness with the perpetrators having apparently videoed their rampage, appearing to expect that they act with impunity. We know from bitter experience of gangland crime in various parts of this country that if and when groups or gangs think they can act with impunity it takes a huge amount of sustained resources to restore order. The Government needs to ensure that An Garda Síochána in Clare are resourced now to ensure that such groups and gangs know that they will face repercussions for their actions. The causes of crime and gangland activity, such as deprivation and social exclusion, also must be addressed as a priority, but there can be no excuse for scenes like this”.
Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris and Chief Superintendent of the Clare Garda Division, Colm O’Sullivan have received a letter from Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) asking for Garda personnel from beyond Clare to be drafted in to try control the situation. “I have also separately written to Pavee Point, urging them to use leadership voices within the Traveller community to mediate in the situation and hopefully bring some calm. The laws of Ireland are robust and it’s important that An Garda Síochána now use their full powers to bring order here”.
Deputy Crowe added, “This must have been a terrifying experience for those who live in this accommodation site but now the cost of addressing this damage will fall on Clare County Council and the taxpayer. This cost, which has in some instances has become a recurring cost, is unsustainable at the time when we have a housing crisis. Whilst I would be anxious to see mediation get underway, I think the first and most important response here has to be a strong and robust one from An Garda Síochána”.
Senator Martin Conway (FG) was appalled with what unfolded in North Clare. “The situation that developed in Ennistymon over the weekend is totally unacceptable, all forms of vandalism have to be dealt with a zero tolerance approach”. He was confident extra resources would be deployed to Ennistymon. “Whatever resources that need to be redeployed within the Division needs to happen and I’ve no doubt that it will if we are dealing with two families disagreeing”.
