Suspected arson attack on Meath pharmacy 'an attack on the whole community'

The incident happened following misinformation that a hotel next door was to be used to house asylum seekers

McQuaids pharmacy, Oldcastle, Co Meath where there was a suspected arson attack on Thursday.

A suspected arson attack on a pharmacy in Co Meath may have been targeting the hotel next door, following misinformation that it was to be used to house asylum seekers.

McQuaid's pharmacy in Oldcastle appears to have been petrol bombed, or doused in petrol and set alight, by someone accessing it from the back entrance at around midnight last night.

The “disgusting” suspected attack could have set the whole row of buildings on fire, endangering life, local Sinn Féin TD Johnny Guirke said. Misinformation and fearmongering by a small number of people had culminated in Wednesday night’s suspected arson, he said.

"This cowardly act has no place in our town and must be unequivocally rejected by everyone who lives in Oldcastle,” Mr Guirke said. “Those who carried out this attack should be ashamed of themselves. 

"By last night’s arson attack on our town’s pharmacy, they have not only endangered the lives of residents of neighbouring properties but have also deprived the owner and dedicated staff of their livelihoods with just a week before Christmas.

This malicious act has robbed a family of their ability to provide for themselves and their customers of a local, essential service they rely on daily. 

The pharmacy is immediately next door to the Oldcastle House Hotel. The hotel was sold and had applied earlier this year for permission to be used as an International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) centre.

But there was strong local opposition to that proposal, and the application was reportedly withdrawn. 

The property had been used to house Ukrainian refugees previously but it was empty and undergoing renovations when the neighbouring pharmacy was set alight last night, Mr Guirke said.

“I had it in writing four times from the Department of Justice [that the hotel was not going to be used as an Ipas centre]. I have it on the floor of the Dáil from the minister for justice, Jim O'Callaghan, that they didn't want it as an Ipas centre. It was the only hotel in the town.

"Oldcastle is a great town with strong community values, but a small number of individuals have distorted the truth, spread false rumours, and fearmongered, which contributed to the fear and unrest that culminated in last night’s arson. 

"We will not allow misinformation to define our town.” 

'An absolute disgrace'

The woman who owns the pharmacy is highly respected in the local community, who has served Oldcastle for 25 years, Mr Guirke said.

“She has been absolutely brilliant for the town, involved in everything that's good around the place, charities, tidy towns, she supports everything. She’s devastated, and she can't understand why her place is a target.

“It's an absolute disgrace.” 

The back entrance to the pharmacy provides access to a number of buildings on the terrace, Mr Guirke said. So it is possible that the wrong building was set on fire, he said.

Gerry McDermott owns McDermott’s Menswear, a business just one premises away from McQuaid’s pharmacy, and he said the incident “is an attack on the whole community”.

The people who did this had no concern for anyone. If that fire had taken off it would have burned down buildings where people were living.

The fire was quickly contained by the fire service and no damage appears to have been done to the neighbouring buildings, Mr McDermott said. But McQuaid’s pharmacy served many sick, elderly and vulnerable people locally, he said.

“It's devastating to see something happen to a businesswoman in town who had dedicated herself to looking after the vulnerable and the sick.

"Where are those people going to go now? She knew their needs. This is an attack on the whole community.” 

Gardaí confirmed that they are investigating an alleged criminal damage incident at a business in Oldcastle, at about 12.20am this morning. Investigations are ongoing, gardaí said.