North Dublin drug gang feud escalating, says Fianna Fail TD

A home in north Dublin has become a “HQ for a drug cartel” after the family living there were intimidated by a local gang, a Fianna Fail TD says.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe was speaking in the Dail last week when he described the extent of drug crime in the Ballymun and Finglas areas and the effects felt by local residents.

He said that in recent weeks there have been petrol bombs thrown at houses, threats issued by gangs on social media and other criminal behaviour which have targeted innocent civilians.

He said that people have contacted him “wondering what is coming next.”

Earlier this month, a person was murdered in Finglas which is believed to be a “gangland assassination”

James Whelan (29), a father of one, was found shot dead on a street in Finglas in the early hours of Sunday, April 3.

“This follows weeks in which other people have been murdered following the discharge of an illegal firearm,” Deputy McAuliffe said.

“We’ve had homes that have been petrol bombed or engaged in an arson attacks, we’ve had a kidnapping, we’ve had social media platforms that are being used to issue threats by rival gangs.

“We had one family home where the people were intimidated so that that home could be turned into a HQ for a drug cartel with retrofitting of bullet proof glass and CCTV.

“There are many people in my community wondering what is coming at them next with these kind of rival gangs.”

McAuliffe asked the Taoiseach if he could raise the matter with the Garda Commissioner and said that “more resources would benefit” the Garda campaign against the drug gangs.

“There is a good history of success of Dublin City Council and An Garda Síochána working together to tackle some of these issues,” he says.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin thanked the TD for “articulating so vividly the horrors of what’s occurring in certain locations across the city” and described Mr Whelan’s murder as “shocking”.

He said at Government level “we will do everything we can”, while gardaí and the Minister for Justice was doing everything they could “to stamp out this criminality”.

In a statement following the discussion, Deputy McAuliffe said that the “the ordinary law-abiding people of Finglas need to feel safe in their community.

“We saw how these feuds escalate to tit for tat killings in the North East Inner City and we need a special operation involving Gardaí and CAB to ensure that innocent people do not get caught up in the violence between gangland thugs.

“I am calling on the Garda Commissioner to meet with local public and community representatives to discuss his plans to tackle this situation and direct more Garda resources to the area.

“Unfortunately, we have all seen this feud escalate over the last few weeks and local people need to know that Gardaí are going to tackle those responsible and defuse the violence.”