McDowell defends handling of riot from barrage of Opposition attacks

THE Government yesterday strongly defended Garda handling of Saturday’s riot in Dublin, saying intelligence anticipated no more than 50 republicans would be involved in a peaceful protest on O’Connell Street.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell said what triggered the violence was the sudden appearance of 200-300 other people on the scene when gardaí tried to move the protestors.

“They suddenly massed from streets and public houses close by, and began to attack Garda officers with a range of missiles, including billiard balls, fireworks and smoke bombs. In the course of the rioting that followed, two petrol bombs were hurled at the gardaí,” he said.

He also said that security arrangements for future events (the St Patrick’s Day and 1916 parades) needed review in the light of Saturday’s events.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern earlier suggested violence was coordinated.

“You do not move from Parnell Square to the other side of town within a matter of minutes unless someone is calling the shots,” he said.

However, Mr McDowell faced severe criticism from the opposition who said he had to take full political responsibility for flawed preparations and inadequate Garda resources.

But there was condemnation by all parties - including Sinn Féin - of the fringe republican groups who participated in the violence.

Nevertheless Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny contended there was an unacceptable level of complacency on the part of the gardaí and the Government.

“On Friday, (Mr McDowell) gave a political lecture about the PDs being the meat in the sandwich. On Saturday, the frontline gardaí who faced bricks were the meat in the sandwich between democracy and anarchy,” he said.

But in his speech, Mr McDowell said 350 gardaí were deployed on the day, including 67 riot squad members. A further 150 gardaí were deployed once the rioting started.

On criticism building works on O’Connell Street were not adequately secured, he said Dublin City Council had six meetings with gardaí in order to seal the sites.

He agreed that he bore political accountability and lessons would have to be learned. But he asserted that he had no hand, act or part in the organisational aspects of the garda operations.

He endorsed the low-key policing approach: “To create a ring of steel around the marchers was neither necessary nor appropriate. (Gardaí) thought it would have been over-the-top, counter-productive and, possibly, creative of an atmosphere of fear and trouble.”

He laid the blamed on “cowardly thugs” involved in the violence.

“They unleashed hate-filled and provocative sectarian abuse on the gardaí including insults to members of that Force like Garda Jerry McCabe,” he said.

During the debate the Government faced repeated criticism for what was described as flawed and naive preparations of an “unprecedented” loyalist march in Dublin.

“He (Mr McDowell) cannot seek to delimit his responsibilities for a debacle in security, intelligence and policing,” said Labour leader Pat Rabbitte.