Dublin riots – latest: Police defended as justice minister says ‘thuggery’ on streets will not be tolerated

Garda has been defended by an Irish government minister in the wake of violent riots as the country’s Justice Minister warned further “thuggery” on the streets of Dublin “will not be tolerated”. Pascal Donohoe said Ireland’s police faced an unprecedented situation when chaotic scenes broke out across the capital following a knife attack on three children and their care assistant outside Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire primary school on Thursday. Speaking on BBC News NI’s Sunday Politics programme, he acknowledged that law and order were not maintained “in our city centre as we would want and the country would expect” but praised the force’s “exceptional work” in “tough and demanding circumstances”. It came as Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said that “those responsible will be brought to justice” after she and the head of Ireland’s police force, Commissioner Drew Harris, faced criticism over Garda’s preparation for the violence. Some 32 people have so far been charged over the riots. Meanwhile, Garda told The Independent on Saturday afternoon that the five-year-old girl who was stabbed remains in critical condition at CHI Temple Street. The children’s care assistant, a woman aged in her 30s, is in a serious but stable condition in The Mater Hospital. Meanwhile, a man, aged in his late 40s, is in a serious but stable condition in a hospital in the Dublin Region. Garda said he remains a “person of interest” in its inquiries as the force continues to investigate the knife attack. Read More Over £280,000 raised for Deliveroo hero who stopped Dublin child knife attack Elon Musk weighs in on Dublin riots claiming country’s PM ‘hates the Irish people’ How the Dublin riots began: From flares and fireworks at a crime scene to hundreds-strong mob Heroic Katie Taylor earns redemption and unites Dublin with special win over Chantelle Cameron