Priest: Government ‘giving youths to drug barons’

AS A grieving mother made a heart-rending appeal for an end to gun violence yesterday, a priest working with disadvantaged youths has accused the Government of handing over youngsters to the drug barons.

Limerick community priest Fr Joe Young said he could not even get government funding for a football initiative in his work with youths at risk.

In the wake of the killing of 25-year-old father of three Gareth Grant in Limerick on Monday night, Fr Young said: “I want bishops to speak out about it. What are we doing? Why are we all in the bunker? These are our children. We’ve abandoned them. And what are we going to do? Just turn up and give nice, fancy eulogies at masses. I don’t believe in that church and I don’t believe in that country. I love those kids and they’ve been abandoned. And will we get one politician who will speak out today? Not one, no way.