Varadkar pledges to put Drogheda killers behind bars

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has pledged to put the killers of teenager Keane Mulready Woods "behind bars" and to make Drogheda safe once again.

Ahead of a meeting with gardai in the Louth town, Mr Varadkar also said he wanted to set up a task force similar to tackle crime similar to one set up in Dublin's North inner city.

Speaking in the town this morning, Mr Varadkar said he wanted to reemphasise "condemnation and revulsion" over the brutal murder of the young boy and to reassure the people of Drogheda that “the government was behind” them.

“We are going to get these people behind bars and we are going to make this town safe again.”

He said he wanted to hear from gardai if there was anything else the government could do.

He said gardai and authorities needed evidence and information and those who supplied it would be protected.

“What has to happen is that we restore going law and order to any part of our country, where there are serious crimes occurring.”

“We are going to get these people behind bars, we are going to make this town safe again,” promises @LeoVaradkar as he visits Drogheda
See @irishexaminer for more shortly #iestaff #GE2020 pic.twitter.com/ruflMc2urw

— Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) January 17, 2020

Drogheda teenager Keane Mulready-Woods was murdered and his body dismembered before being left at a number of locations in Dublin.

A house in the Rathmullen Park part of Drogheda remains sealed off as garda forensic specialists continue a detailed examination of the property.

Mr Varadkar pledged that increased garda numbers were helping the fight against crime around the country.

“We've pledged that there will be an extra 700 gardai recruited every year. That's a very different approach to a previous government which ended garda recruitment, we will get the garda service up to 21,000 people by next year.”

But Mr Varadkar also said he would like to see a special task force, similar to one established in Dublin city centre, to help tackle crime and anti-social elements.

That could be expanded, not only in Drogheda, but other parts of the country, he pledged:

“That hasn't solved all the problems in the northeast inner city by any means, but I do think it has made a difference. I'd like to do, if we are reelected to office, is to expand that to maybe six or seven other parts of the country.”