leo is 100% behind people of drogheda
LEO Varadkar has promised he is “100% behind the people of Drogheda” and vowed to “put behind bars” the sick killers of Keane Mulready-woods.
The Taoiseach visited the Co Louth town yesterday where he received a briefing from Garda chiefs on the 17-year-old’s horrific killing.
He has pledged to bring in a special taskforce like the one that helped clear up crime in the North East Dublin inner city area in 2016.
And in the meantime, he is urging any potential witnesses or anybody who knows who the killers are to come forward.
Speaking to reporters before he met the local gardai, Mr Varadkar said: “We’re in Drogheda today and first of all I’d like to express my revulsion and condemnation of the very serious crime that has taken place here and also to assure the people of Drogheda that the Government is 100% behind them, that we’re going to get these people behind bars, we’re going to make this town safe again.
“I’m here with the Minister of Justice [Charlie Flanagan] and Deputy [Fergus O’dowd] and after this I’m going to go to the Garda station and get a briefing from the gardai and find out from them if there’s anything else we can do, any more we can do, to support them in their efforts.
“I really want to say to people across the country, and also to people here in Drogheda, that crime doesn’t pay, that we will get these people behind bars and make this town safe again.
“And I really want to encourage anyone that has evidence or information to come forward, because to get people into the Special Criminal Court, to get them convicted, we need evidence, the gardai need information, and people who bring that evidence forward or agree to become witnesses will be protected.”
He promised a new taskforce if he wins the election.
Mr Varadkar said: “What I would like to do if re-elected is to take the approach we took in Dublin’s north east inner city where we’ve helped to really improve that part of the city, to tackle disadvantage and show young people there’s an alternative to the life of crime.
“That hasn’t solved all of the crimes of the north east inner city by any means, but I do think it has made a difference.
“What I’d like to do if re-elected to office is to expand that to maybe six or seven other parts of the country and I think Drogheda should be one of those.”
Mr Flanagan added a “line had been drawn in the sand” and the Drogheda killers will be caught and brought to justice.