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.

“I know Gareth’s dad — he only lived a few doors down from me when I was in Southill for 25 years. When we had that soccer academy going it gave a little bit of dignity to young men, it gave them a chance to aspire to believing in something more than the welfare state and there was more to life than just the roundabout in Southill.”

In an interview on Newstalk 106-108FM, Fr Young said he could no longer get funding for the soccer initiative. The Brother of Charity Priest said the Government was handing over youngsters to the drug barons.

Meanwhile, the mother of a young man who was shot in cold blood after he was caught up in a gangland shooting has spoken of her “living nightmare”.

Christine Campbell made the appeal after an inquest into her son Anthony’s death was adjourned at Dublin County Coroner’s Court due to continuing Garda investigations.

Anthony, 20, was shot dead as he worked in a house in Scribblestown Park, Finglas, on December 12, 2006. The target of the attack was well-known gangland figure Martin “Marlo” Hyland, 39, who was also shot dead.

Speaking outside the court Ms Campbell made an emotional appeal for anyone with information about her son’s death or about the recent double shooting in Walkinstown on Friday night, which claimed the life of Edward Ward, to come forward to gardaí.

“Anthony was only 20. He should still be living his life and doing an honest day’s work. He was my only child and they’ve robbed me of everything,” she said.