A woman is still in critical condition in hospital after she was assaulted and set alight at her home in Clondalkin, Dublin, Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred at a property in the Oak Downs estate, which has since been sealed off by investigators, reports RTE.
A garda source described the incident as a terrifying and brutal attack.
They believe it was intentionally carried out and targeted, with a possible link to drug-related activity, reports RTE.
Gardaí say efforts are under way to identify those responsible for the assault.
The woman, who is in her 40s, suffered extensive burns across her face and body, reports RTE.
The attacker, who doused her with petrol before igniting it, is believed to have fled the scene on a motorbike.
A man who was present in the house at the time sustained burns to his hands while trying to put out the flames. He was also taken to hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, reports RTE.
He has more than 20 previous convictions and had been previously threatened by criminal groups.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said he is appalled by “this horrific and vicious attack” and urged anyone with information to contact gardaí, reports RTE.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said there is an “epidemic” of violence against women in Ireland.
Speaking as he arrived for Cabinet, he said he was horrified by the “horrific, frightening, vicious attack” in Clondalkin, which has had a “devastating impact on the community”, reports RTE.
Mr Harris said there can be “no place or no tolerance for such level of depravity and violence in our society or in our communities”.
Local Sinn Féin councillor William Carey said residents in Clondalkin are deeply shocked, reports RTE.
“The whole estate, the whole area here is in quite a lot of shock,” he said on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, reports RTE.
“Nobody expected anything like this to be happening in our area. It’s quite an idyllic type of estate … a lot of hardworking people, and to have this happening on the doorstep is completely shocking,” reports RTE.
Mr Carey said this level of violence is totally out of character for the locality.
“The sense of depravity involved in this attack is quite frightening and it has people doubly shocked at the level of violence because this is not the type of thing we would expect here,” he said, reports RTE.
“I wouldn’t say this would be an issue we would expect to see or hear within the area. It’s not a big crime area, there’s not an awful lot that would happen.
“At our recent Resident’s Association, we had a local community garda in attendance and he described incidents that are occurring in the area as very low key, and very, very little to be concerned with.”, reports RTE.
Mr Carey said people locally are feeling “angry”, “annoyed” and “shocked” in the aftermath.
Gardaí can be contacted at Clondalkin Garda Station on 01 666 7600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station, reports RTE.
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