McDowell to meet gardaí over upsurge in armed raids

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is due to hold talks with senior gardaí and the Private Security Authority later today to discuss a recent upsurge in cash-in-transit robberies in the capital.

Up to €800,000 is believed to have been stolen in the latest raid in the Clondalkin area of Dublin yesterday morning, while €600,000 was also stolen during another hold-up in Donaghmede on Tuesday.

Mr McDowell has said he will be using today's meetings to establish whether the industry is complying with voluntary measures introduced last year to improve security for cash-in-transit deliveries and stamp out armed raids.

However, Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe is blaming the Minister himself for the recent upsurge in raids, claiming he has failed to provide the resources the Gardaí need to tackle criminal gangs.