Simon Harris, the Taoiseach, has declared his intention to review security provisions for locations designated for international protection candidates, in the aftermath of a fire suspected to have been started deliberately on a Tallaght, Co Dublin building. The incident, which took place on Tuesday evening, was characterised by Harris as “moronic and a gross display of crime, coupled with an attempt to instil fear.”
According to a representative from the Irish police, Garda, the incident is under investigation as criminal damage caused by fire to a property in Tallaght. The authorities were alerted about the Tuesday night blaze at the unoccupied premises located on High Street around 11.10pm. The fire was successfully extinguished by the local fire brigade a short while after arrival, with no injuries reported.
Additional investigation at the site is ongoing, with an appeal by the Garda for anyone with information regarding this case to come forward. Particularly those in and around High Street, Tallaght, between 10.30 and 11.30 pm, who may have spotted any suspicious activities.
Mr Harris’s comments came in response to Paul Murphy, People Before Profit TD, who pointed out that the building currently hosts Jigsaw, a mental health service for young individuals, various eateries and was also intended for asylum seekers. Murphy deplored the violence, proclaiming those spreading hatred and orchestrating the attacks have no interest in community building or resource allocation. He added that their sole intent is to disseminate destruction, fear, and violence.
According to Murphy, this incident marks around 30 such attacks in recent history and seems indistinguishably similar to previous ones, suspecting the involvement of far-right extremists propagating unrest, hatred, and division.
Taking a stand against these violent acts, the Taoiseach expressed his difficulty to comprehend such actions, especially in times of constrained living conditions and housing supply. He criticised those who falsely claim to represent public interests and questioned their agenda to further reduce housing availability. Harris pledged to discuss the situation, focusing on security measures at the designated sites, with Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Integration.
Mr Murphy articulated that the recent attack demonstrates those instigating the hatred and executing the raids are not interested in flourishing or allocating increased resources to communities. Their prime objective is to disseminate destruction, violence and terror. The lion’s share of Tallaght’s residents, he emphasised, will unequivocally rebuff this hostility and assault. This aggression is instigated by a minute fringe group actively pursuing such sites, making their protection imperative.
However, Murphy divulged that locals are rightly querying the absence of private security at the location and criticising what they see as flawed governmental communication. It was first suggested in local media earlier this year that the site should be used for asylum seekers, however, exact details were withheld until a fortnight ago, allowing a void for misinformation to disseminate.
Contrary to circulating rumours, Murphy debunked claiming that the site will not be housing 3,500 individuals but rather, a significantly lesser number, approximately 350, once both project phases come to fruition. Mr Harris confirmed he will address the matter of security with Mr O’Gorman, acknowledging the necessity for the government to enhance their communicative capacities with communities. This issue featured in the latest cabinet committee on migration discussions. Harris commended the community engagement team for their commendable work and signalled his intentions to extend their staff composition where feasible.