Sometimes people don’t understand why Gardaí don’t intervene in a protest, Leo Varadkar has stated.
Answering to Antoinette Cunningham of the AGSI, representing Garda inspectors, and sergeants, who claimed their members needed better training to handle asylum protests, Leo Varadkar said he had got assurances from the commissioner of Garda.
“I spoke to Minister [Simon] Harris last night. And my understanding is they had a very good meeting with the Garda Commissioner who gave them the assurance that the resources they already have are adequate — and the training is in place,” he said, reports Independent.
Mr Varadkar approved that the AGSI has communicated with the Commissioner on the issue. “I think it is important that an engagement happens,” he added, reports Independent.
“We as a Government are determined to make sure that the Gardaí are properly resourced and properly trained. And I know that policing these protests is very difficult,” reports Independent.
There have been a lot of criticism in couple of recent days that gardaí didn’t intervene to handle violent protests against asylum seeker in Dublin.
Moreover, there have been a lot of criticism that the Gardai has allowed the blocking of roads in and out of the Magowna Hotel in Inch, Co Clare, by protesters to continue for many days.
Mr Varadkar said: “I think it wouldn’t be right for me to speak on behalf of the Garda Commissioner. A concern has been raised by the head of the AGSI. I think it will be important that there is an engagement now between them,” reports Independent.
Integration junior minister Joe O’Brien met with the seekers of asylum as well as the local community when he was in Clare yesterday, Mr Varadkar said.
“He explained what was going on and gave the assurance that at least until the hotel itself is fit for occupancy, there won’t be any extra people brought to Inch,” Mr Varadkar said, reports Independent.
This follows the report that there were differences of opinion at a Cabinet meeting between Minister O’Brien and Minister Roderic O’Gorman, this week were responsible for integration.
Minister O’Gorman said all departments should do more when it comes to finding accommodation for asylum seekers.
“We meet on a regular basis. I work very closely with Roderic, and he’s very clear we as a government together have worked first on the Ukraine response, and if someone looked back 14 months ago and thought that we will be accommodating over 80,000 additional people from Ukraine, and be able to do it, I think by any fair assessment that has been done well,” said Minister O’Brien, reports Independent.
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