McDowell to make statement on city riots
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell will today make a statement to the Dáil over the Dublin riots at the weekend which left more than a dozen people injured, including six gardaí.
Opposition TDs will have the chance to question the minister over policing arrangements and resources for the Love Ulster rally which was hijacked by hundreds of republican counter demonstrators and violent youths.
Two and a half hours has been set aside for the debate.
Mr McDowell has received a report from senior gardaí into policing plans for the march.
It is expected he will face heavy criticism from opposition leaders after rank and file gardaí said three times as many officers would have been needed to bring the streets under control.
Following three hours of violence, more than 40 people were arrested, with 13 of them, all aged between 17 and 30, appearing in court on various charges including public order offences, criminal damage and looting. Further arrests are expected.
Loyalist marchers were bussed away from the O’Connell Street area as youths, many wearing tricolours, Glasgow Celtic shirts and pro-IRA regalia, launched attack after attack on the garda line.
Questions were also being asked over garda intelligence-gathering after Assistant Garda Commissioner Alan McHugh admitted there was no indication that dissidents planned to riot.
Senior officers have also been studying CCTV footage from across the capital, which contains images of rioting and looting.
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