FIANNA Fáil councillor Azad Talukder was asked to withdraw comments at a council meeting this week after saying that he would like to see those involved in last Thursday’s violent Dublin riots “shot in the head”.
At this Monday’s full meeting of Limerick City and County Council (LCCC), council members condemned the shocking scenes in the capital last Thursday (November 23) after a knife attack on three children and their care assistant outside a school in Dublin’s inner city.
Fine Gael councillor Adam Teskey said that as chairman of LCCC’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC), he felt it necessary and appropriate to condemn the “thuggery”.
“This needs to be rooted out of society once and for all. The credibility of law enforcement in this country is now called into major question on whether we give society over to these gurriers. This has to be stopped,” Cllr Teskey insisted.
“Our Gardaí need the full support of the people of this country, for which the majority, I do believe, reflect their support for them. But something has to change here at the top.
“The morale of Gardaí is at an all-time low and, when you have over 99 per cent voting no confidence in the Commissioner, questions need to be asked. I think it is right and fitting that we as a local authority here today condemn that act of absolute hooliganism and thuggery. We need to root it out of society and bring it back from the brink.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Kevin Sheahan, a former member of An Garda Síochána, said he was at a loss to understand why there wasn’t a “baton charge” in Dublin last Thursday night.
“What is happening within the force that they didn’t clear the street with their batons, I don’t know. Was it lack of numbers? Lack of batons? Or is it fear that has been drilled into the force by ridiculous regulations and how they are interpreted?” he asked.
Party colleague and Cathaoirleach of LCCC’s Metropolitan District, Cllr Azad Talukder, called for more severe forms of public punishment to deal with the riot’s perpetrators.
“I strongly believe that this is not the face of Ireland. This is just some criminals looting the shops. I don’t think they follow any ideological purpose. They come to the streets and just rob. They should get punishment.
“Not even an animal does these kind of thing. It is very shameful and they should get public punishment.
“I’d like to see them shot in the head or bring the public in and beat them until they die,” Cllr Talukder told council members.
Labour Party councillor Conor Sheehan called for an immediate withdrawal of the comments and pointed out that “you can’t call for people to be shot in the council chamber”.
Cllr Talukder responded “okay, I can withdraw that. I just put my emotion only. I hope Conor Sheehan understand’s that is only an expression of my emotion.”
Former Limerick Mayor Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon took the view that Gardaí’s hands are tied in allowing them to deal with violence by thugs on the streets.
“I was actually in Dublin last Thursday with my grandchildren. Fortunately we left Dublin at half four, it could have been a very serious situation for us.
“The guards, I presume, are willing to do their jobs and able to do their jobs, but they are afraid of their lives with the rules and regulations,” Cllr O’Hanlon opined.
“Let the Gardaí do their jobs and pay them properly, so many of the guards wouldn’t be leaving and we wouldn’t have a recruitment problem.”
