‘Fortunate no lives are lost in arson attacks’
Top cop updates committee on probes into asylum seeker fires
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 asylum seekers, a top cop said.
During an appearance before the Oireachtas Justice Committee, Deputy Garda Commissioner Shawna Coxon added that a number of properties had been targeted due to unfounded rumours 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 gardai take every arson or attempted arson seriously.
She said: “This being the case with the arson attacks on International Protection Accommodation Services centres or property rumoured to become Ipas centres or property housing refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.
“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.
“As would be standard practice when similar
STATS crimes occur in different parts of the country, there is national, regional and local co-ordination between investigative teams.
“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 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 arsons 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 Ipas centres, or suspected ones.
The senior officer also provided the committee with an update into the policing operation which followed serious public disorder in Dublin city centre on November 23. The violence flared following a stabbing attack near a school.
She said: “To date we have arrested 37 individuals for offences such as arson, violent disorder and thefts. We are currently reviewing over 20,000 hours of footage from 140 different CCTV feeds and we expect to make further arrests.”