Concern at rise in street drug violence

Dangerous new chemicals being sold on the streets are being blamed for a spate of incidents in Dublin’s north inner city, which came to a head at the weekend in the murder of a father of two.

Renewed calls were made for State agencies and communities to work together to address the problem, with criticisms that the Government was not giving the issue of drugs and crime, and wider socio-economic problems, sufficient priority.

A man was arrested on Sunday for the shooting of Ciaran Brooks near the Killarney Court apartment complex late on Saturday. The suspected killer is thought to have carried out an armed robbery on a taxi driver earlier and is also suspected of beating a homeless man hours after the shooting. He was arrested later by gardaí, but sources said they were unable to interview him for hours as he seemed to be drugged.