THE MINISTER for Justice has pledged to give Gardai in Limerick all of the resources they require to keep a lid on three violent feuds boiling in the city and county.
Gardai have warned lives will be lost if the current wave of feuding continues.
One feud involves members of two organised crime groups – the latest incident involved a drive-by shooting in which a man indiscriminately fired shots from a handgun at houses at Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston, on May 8.
Two separate feuds have sparked around the County at Kilmallock and at Rathkeale involving different rival groups.
The latest attacks in Rathkeale involved a number of properties torched in arson attacks, on May 2.
In Kilmallock a car was run off the road by another vehicle and its windows smashed with implements on May 12th.
Much of the violence associated with the feuds has been captured on mobile phone video footage and shared on social media.
Visiting Limerick this week, Minister, Jim O’Callaghan, praised gardai for helping to protect and serve in the extremely dangerous situations.
Minister O’Callaghan said he was being kept regularly updated on the Limerick feuds by gardai, and he promised to boost garda resources to tackle the feuding if Gardai required it.
“I’m very satisfied with the briefing I get from An Garda Siochana, and I should also say as well, because sometimes we take it for granted – The Gardai did a fantastic job in Limerick many years ago in dealing with the violent feuds that were going on here, they did the same in Drogheda,” said the Minister.
“And I know they’re not looking for a commendation or recognition for it, but I think it’s something that we should pause and reflect on to say that they did an excellent job (in Limerick) before, they did an excellent job in Drogheda, and elsewhere where feuds started, and I’ve no doubt that when it comes to any ongoing feuds in Limerick, or elsewhere, that An Garda Siochana will get on top of it.”
“Whatever resources they (Gardai) want, I’ll go out of my way to ensure that they’re provided,” he pledged.
The Minister’s comments come following calls by Fine Gael Limerick councillor, Adam Teskey for increased garda resources in Rathkeale, and Sinn Fein TD, Maurice Quinlivan, calling for additional resources in Limerick City where drug dealing has exploded in recent months.
Limerick was gripped by a murderous feud between the late 90s and mid 2000s with around 20 killings.
The McCarthy/Dundon – Keane/Collopy – McCarthy Ryan feud saw petrol bombings, shootings, stabbings and pipe bomb attacks on an almost nightly basis.
While gardai managed to restore law and order, with the help and testimonies of associates of the feuding groups, a new wave of violence has begun.
The regular use of pipe bombs, petrol bombs, and shootings has resurfaced again as tensions recently escalated between other rival groups based predominantly on the south-side of the city.
