Justice Minister Helen McEntee says she still considers Dublin city centre “safe” days after an American tourist was brutally beaten and kicked in the head in the capital, reports The Mirror.
Add to that three British men aged in their 20s who were beaten senseless on Friday night in Temple Bar.
Fine Gael and Dublin Central Deputy Minister for Public Expenditure TD Paschal Donohoe made comments during a visit to Store Street Garda Station.
The victim, a 57-year-old New York man, suffered life-changing injuries after being attacked just meters from a police station on Wednesday night.
He is still being treated at Beaumont Hospital for head and eye injuries.
The Irish Mirror reported that he was returning to his residence when he met six teenagers – three boys and three girls, reports The Mirror.
We understand that one of the gang members said something and when he returned to talk to them, three boys – who Garda believe are under the age of 18 – attacked him.
The Fine Gael deputy also said: “I’ve been in the city centre myself, be it from a work capacity but also in a private capacity. I’ve been at concerts locally down in the 3Arena, I’ve walked up to the city centre, I’ve been in the centre,” reports The Mirror.
But admitted: “You’re not going to be safe all the time, everywhere in a city centre or anywhere and I acknowledge that there can be challenges and difficulties but it’s about making sure where possible you prevent incidents from happening but you can’t always prevent everything. It’s how you respond to it and make sure there is enough resources and the ability to be able to deal with crimes when they happen. I do think our city is safe, I have to stress that, whether you’re living here, working here, or whether you’re a tourist here,” reports The Mirror.
Giving an update on the probe, AC Willis said yesterday: “We have made significant progress. “We’re following significant lines of inquiry. I’m very confident that we will bring the perpetrators of this horrendous crime before the justice system. We obviously totally condemn the actions of a small group of individuals and we will continue to progress with the investigation,” reports The Mirror.
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