A LIMERICK Fine Gael councillor has called on his party’s leader, Tánaiste Simon Harris, to provide additional Gardaí for Rathkeale following four suspected arson attacks on homes in the town this Friday morning (May 2).
Cllr Adam Teskey highlighted a visit to the town by Deputy Harris, as acting Minister for Justice, in December 2022, which came with a promise of additional Gardaí after a wave of violent feuding by Traveller families.
Speaking then, Mr Harris pledged the additional resources “would be forthcoming” and that “no part of this country is beyond the reach of the law”.
Four properties located around Rathkeale were attacked with petrol bombs at around 4am this Friday morning, with one property was burnt out and other homes were badly damaged. No injuries were reported.
Cllr Teskey said “this further proves the point that we need additional Garda resources and I’m sick and tired of looking for resources for the area that I represent, and seem to be getting nowhere”.
“Our local Superintendent, that I have full confidence in, and his team, need to be appropriately resourced, and that means we need Gardaí in boots on the street, rank and file members, we need to see more presence.”
Gardaí are investigating a number of lines of enquiry, including that the attacks may have been retaliation following a previous serious incident in the town.
A reliable local source said the fire attacks were suspected to be linked to a local dispute.
“Four houses were petrol bombed overnight, the place is in lockdown,” said the source.
Four fire brigade units from Rathkeale, Newcastle West, and Foynes attended and quenched the flames.
Gardaí are to harvest closed circuit television camera footage around the town to try to trace the individuals involved.
In a clear SOS to government, Cllr Teskey said the sanctioning of extra Gardaí for Rathkeale “has to happen immediately”.
“We were given a commitment from the previous Minister for Justice, who is now the Tánaiste, that resources would be made available to the area, and that promise now needs to be fulfilled, or else it is simply another empty political promise,” Cllr Teskey said.
“The people of Rathkeale have gone through enough and are sick and tired of seeing law and order out of control, it has to stop, and the resources need to be forthcoming. We shouldn’t have to be looking for resources, they should be here.”
Cllr Teskey said he had concerns that Rathkeale was verging on “lawlessness” because of inadequate Garda resources.
Separately, Cllr Teskey said the town was also wide open to the threats and impacts associated with drug dealing.
“It’s tragic, we have seen the previous removal of the Drugs Unit from County Limerick taken away – that has to be restored and brought back and put in place,” he said.
“We need to get back to basics in terms of old style policing. Here in Rathkeale, we are living in a state of prolonged lawlessness, and we need to go after the true criminals in this town.”
A member of the Garda Press Office said they were awaiting a report on the matter from local Gardaí.
