merrion street

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin condemned the protests in Dublin city-centre today and praised An Garda Síochána for their response in restoring order.

An Taoiseach said:

I utterly condemn the protests in Dublin city-centre today, which posed an unacceptable risk to both the public and gardaí.

The large gathering, in the face of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, showed a complete lack of respect to the people who have made huge sacrifices during this pandemic.

Nor can we tolerate the thuggish behaviour or attacks on gardaí, who have the public’s utmost respect as they continue to protect and serve our society in difficult circumstances.

There can be no justification for the march or the violence that unfolded, and I pay tribute to members of An Garda Síochána who moved quickly to make arrests and restore order.