‘It’s fortunate no lives have been lost’ in arson attacks, says garda
IT IS fortunate there has been no loss of life caused by a spate of arson attacks on buildings earmarked or rumoured to be used for housing asylum seekers, a senior Garda officer has said.
During an appearance before the Oireachtas Justice Committee, Deputy Garda Commissioner Shawna Coxon said that a number of properties had been targeted due to unfounded rumours that they were International Protection Accommodation Services centres.
The committee is investigating a number of recent arson attacks. There have been more than 20 fires at properties associated, sometimes incorrectly, with accommodating asylum seekers in 2023 and 2024.
Ms Coxon told the members that gardaí take every arson or attempted arson seriously. She said: ‘In each incident a senior investigation officer is appointed, an investigation team of detectives is formed and an incident room created, technical examinations are undertaken and evidence gathered.
‘At a national level the Special Detective Unit, which is responsible for the investigation of threats to national security, is examining all of these incidents along with national intelligence to determine if there is
‘Gardaí take every incident seriously’
any commonality in terms of modus operandi and/or individuals.
‘At the moment there is nothing to suggest there is an over-arching conspiracy involved in these attacks, though we will continue to keep an open mind on this based on the evidence.’
Ms Coxon said arson attacks are difficult to investigate as evidence can often ‘literally, be burnt to cinders’.
She said 11 people have been arrested since May last year in connection with arson attacks or criminal damage of International Protection Accommodation Services centres, or their rumoured locations.
She added: ‘Criminal investigations are also ongoing into a large number of different potential criminal incidents, including activities at public gatherings, potential harassment at public facilities, including libraries and online incitement.
‘We have also seen a significant amount of mis- and disinformation circulating in relation to properties that are rumoured to become centres. This meant that Garda resources that could have been deployed in preventing and tackling local crime were diverted to patrolling around these locations.’
She also gave an update into the operation that followed the serious public disorder in Dublin on November 23. ‘To date we have arrested 37 individuals,’ Ms Coxon said. ‘This country has been fortunate that it has not suffered a death or deaths as a result of these arson attacks.’