Garda Commissioner was 'disingenuous' to say nobody could have foreseen Dublin riots, GRA vice president claims

Garda chief Drew Harris was “disingenuous” in saying no one could have foreseen the Dublin riots, the GRA’s Vice President has claimed.

Detective Garda Niall Hodgins spoke of dealing with the horrific stabbings in Parnell Square East in the city which are said to have sparked the disorder.

He said: “I was in my role, I’m an investigator in Dublin’s north inner city, and I was present there at the horrific scenes that preceded the riots.

READ MORE - GRA bosses admit Gardai are not prepared to tackle more riots

“When I returned to the station, the Commissioner was outside.

“There were a number of things he said I found were disingenuous.

“Firstly he alluded to the fact that the riots were organised by lunatics.

“Now lunatics to me would not be able to organise and take over a major European city the way that they did.

“There was another thing that he suggested there that nobody could’ve predicted what would happen.

“Many months before the Dublin riots the Garda Commissioner himself oversaw appointing an armed detective to each and every minister in the Cabinet, the highest offices in this land.

“So he has some sort of form of intelligence to oversee that and what I’m saying is, I took some of his words in that particular address as being somewhat disingenuous.”

Gardai clash with protestors during the Dublin riots in November last year.
(Image: Collins Photo Agency Dublin)

Asked if he felt there was therefore a failure of intelligence, Garda Hodgins said: “Intelligence by its very nature is secret and only he can answer that.”

In response to Garda Hodgins’ claim, a spokesman from headquarters told us: “An Garda Siochana is not in a position to provide detailed comment on matters which are still under criminal investigation and in multiple cases now before the courts.

“As far back as 2019, Commissioner Harris warned about the rise of the far-right in Ireland and the threat it posed to the country.”

Justice minister Helen McEntee and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

The spokesman quoted the Commissioner from the Justice Committee on November 29 in which he said: “I have to respond in terms of the fact that this was a spontaneous incident.

“We were responding on a Thursday which had started out like any other normal day.

“We were always responding in terms of how the situation developed and getting the resources there.

“It would have been an infinitely easier operation if we had had some indication as to this happening, but there was no prior indication as to the scale of what emerged.” Garda Hodgins, who was elected GRA Vice President at its annual conference in Westport, Co Mayo, said the primary concern among officers right now is they feel undervalued.

A Garda car set on fire during the riots in Dublin.
(Image: Collins Photo Agency Dublin)

He added: “That eats into every facet of the job.

“We have to bring back respect.”

Garda Hodgins also told how Commissioner Harris, who was not invited to this year’s conference, met the GRA’s Secretariat last week to identify what issues they had.

He said: “He did suggest his leadership team were aware of the issues. With regards to being aware of the issues and doing something about them, that’s what we have a problem with.

“There was so much feet dragging with regards to the rosters issue which was going on for many years and our members are tired.”

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