Tallaght shooting an outrage – Deputy Seán Crowe

Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has offered his condolences to the family of a teenage girl who died in a shooting incident in Tallaght last night.

Deputy Crowe described the 16 year old’s death as “an outrage” and has demanded that the government allocates additional resources to the Gardaí so they are better able to respond to the rise in gun crime and drug dealing in  Tallaght and the greater Dublin area.

He said: “I understand that the 16-year-old girl was one of four people sitting in a car at Brookview Way at around 10.30pm when she was fatally wounded after shots were fired by a car that pulled up beside where they were parked.

“This outrage is an accumulation of rising criminality in Tallaght. For months tension has been high and there have been numerous shooting incidents and petrol bomb and pipe bomb attacks on homes in the area. There has also been widespread intimidation that has resulted in families being forced out of their homes. In one incident a youth allegedly had a gun held to his head for refusing to hide drugs.

“I am also greatly disturbed at the age profile of young people who are involved in serious crime. Community and youth leaders have pointed out that teenagers regularly carry knives and other offensive weapons, with some using the justification that they are protecting themselves from attack.

“In the past we were told that the CAB would target lower level criminals but there is no evidence that this has happened.

“There are people in Tallaght who have never worked a day in their lives driving expensive cars and living the high live.

“Garda cutbacks and the loss of other resources are greatly hampering the state’s response to what is happening.

“Added to this are the cuts to Community Employment Schemes and DEIS schools, youth services, community services and youth liaison posts have all been cut, which will lead to more young people falling through the gaps and ending up on the wrong side of the justice system.

“The shooting of this young girl has ratcheted up the level of tension in the area and community and youth leaders are very worried at the widespread availability of weapons.

“Every resource must be made available to bring to justice the people responsible for this reckless and brutal attack and I would appeal to anyone who has information on criminal activity to report what they know to the relevant authorities.”