Post by RedFlag32 on Sept 12, 2006 19:23:03 GMT
Pressure on McDowell to clean up streets as toddlers' lives are 'ruined'
JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell came under intense pressure last night to clean up the streets as two children were in critical condition following an arson attack.
Little Gavin (4) and Philomena Murray (6) were severely burnt after three hired thugs poured petrol into the car in which they were sitting and set it alight.
The shocking incident, in a Limerick estate, brought violence to a new low and raised renewed questions about the Government's drive to clamp down on violence.
As gardai continued the hunt for the thugs, Fine Gael and Labour said the incident was an horrific example of the Government's failure to keep our streets safe. Fine Gael's Jim O'Keeffe asked: "How much power does he (Mr McDowell) need before he can do the job and demand the results that the public deserve?"
And Labour's Joe Costello said: "He should have targeted the area long ago with a special unit to take out the inordinate amount of criminal activity there."
Defence Minister Willie O'Dea will hold talks with senior gardai today in a bid to stamp out an upsurge in street violence in parts of the city.
Garda street patrols have already been stepped up and known troublemakers are being targeted and monitored.
Last night the father of the two children claimed three 'hired' teenagers poured petrol into the back seat of their car.
Truck driver Niall McNamara (35) believes the gang set his former partner Sheila Murray's vehicle alight to kill his toddlers. He got a phone call tipping him off about the attack seconds before it took place on the Moyross estate in Limerick.
Sheila Murray earlier said the attack happened not long after she refused someone a lift. She said she had no idea why her family was targeted as she had no 'feud' with anyone in the estate.
At 2pm on Sunday, Gavin and Philomena received severe burns when the Toyota Corolla car in which they sitting was set alight in Pineview Gardens, Moyross.
With the help of neighbours, their mother managed to pluck them from the back of the car.
Niall McNamara said he was terrified when he received an anonymous phone call from a man warning him that his children were about to be burned seconds before the attack. "A man rang me and said: 'Niall, there is a load of petrol poured into the back of your car. When your missus comes out, a firelighter will be thrown in and the car will be lit.'"
"It was a tip-off to warn me. I know who did it. They are three teenagers aged from 14 to 16. I think they were paid to do it by someone else."
He tried to phone Sheila to warn her but could not get her on the phone.
"My daughter's hair and pants were up in flames. It was the same with Gavin. The child lock was on, so Sheila had to get out of the car and open it from the outside. She pulled Millie (Philomena) out and a young fella got Gavin out.
"They were both in balls of flames. The print of the back seat is on the skin of their backs. They have been badly burned. They are scarred for life. Neither of them is awake. They are both in a bad way. The doctors don't want to wake them. There are meant to be nine pints of fluid in the body. There are seven and a half pints missing from Gavin and six from Millie."
"They went to get the children. If any of them have a problem with the children's father, they should come to me.
"This attack was meant for the kids. I have been told for the last four months that the car would be petrol bombed or shot in. There is always children in the car. They said I was using the children as a shield. Gavin and Millie's lives are destroyed."
Speaking from Dublin's Crumlin Children's hospital, Sheila said: "I was in my friend's house and someone asked me for a lift and I refused them the lift and went back into the house. I came back out and got back into the car and put the two kids in the back seat of the car. I went to turn the key, and the radio was on. And then I just saw a flash and I looked in the mirror and the two kids were in flames in the back seat.
"I ran to the back of the car and took Philomena out and she was up in fire, her hair and her clothes, and then I was screaming for someone to get Kevin out," she said. "A young fella ran across the road and grabbed them out of the car and just tried to put the flames out.
"They're critical now and have bad burns and they're both on ventilators."
Her daughter is having surgery today and will need skin grafts.
Niall McNamara moved back to his mother's house in Garryowen after the couple split up six months ago. They have eight children.
Anne-Marie Walsh and Barry Duggan
JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell came under intense pressure last night to clean up the streets as two children were in critical condition following an arson attack.
Little Gavin (4) and Philomena Murray (6) were severely burnt after three hired thugs poured petrol into the car in which they were sitting and set it alight.
The shocking incident, in a Limerick estate, brought violence to a new low and raised renewed questions about the Government's drive to clamp down on violence.
As gardai continued the hunt for the thugs, Fine Gael and Labour said the incident was an horrific example of the Government's failure to keep our streets safe. Fine Gael's Jim O'Keeffe asked: "How much power does he (Mr McDowell) need before he can do the job and demand the results that the public deserve?"
And Labour's Joe Costello said: "He should have targeted the area long ago with a special unit to take out the inordinate amount of criminal activity there."
Defence Minister Willie O'Dea will hold talks with senior gardai today in a bid to stamp out an upsurge in street violence in parts of the city.
Garda street patrols have already been stepped up and known troublemakers are being targeted and monitored.
Last night the father of the two children claimed three 'hired' teenagers poured petrol into the back seat of their car.
Truck driver Niall McNamara (35) believes the gang set his former partner Sheila Murray's vehicle alight to kill his toddlers. He got a phone call tipping him off about the attack seconds before it took place on the Moyross estate in Limerick.
Sheila Murray earlier said the attack happened not long after she refused someone a lift. She said she had no idea why her family was targeted as she had no 'feud' with anyone in the estate.
At 2pm on Sunday, Gavin and Philomena received severe burns when the Toyota Corolla car in which they sitting was set alight in Pineview Gardens, Moyross.
With the help of neighbours, their mother managed to pluck them from the back of the car.
Niall McNamara said he was terrified when he received an anonymous phone call from a man warning him that his children were about to be burned seconds before the attack. "A man rang me and said: 'Niall, there is a load of petrol poured into the back of your car. When your missus comes out, a firelighter will be thrown in and the car will be lit.'"
"It was a tip-off to warn me. I know who did it. They are three teenagers aged from 14 to 16. I think they were paid to do it by someone else."
He tried to phone Sheila to warn her but could not get her on the phone.
"My daughter's hair and pants were up in flames. It was the same with Gavin. The child lock was on, so Sheila had to get out of the car and open it from the outside. She pulled Millie (Philomena) out and a young fella got Gavin out.
"They were both in balls of flames. The print of the back seat is on the skin of their backs. They have been badly burned. They are scarred for life. Neither of them is awake. They are both in a bad way. The doctors don't want to wake them. There are meant to be nine pints of fluid in the body. There are seven and a half pints missing from Gavin and six from Millie."
"They went to get the children. If any of them have a problem with the children's father, they should come to me.
"This attack was meant for the kids. I have been told for the last four months that the car would be petrol bombed or shot in. There is always children in the car. They said I was using the children as a shield. Gavin and Millie's lives are destroyed."
Speaking from Dublin's Crumlin Children's hospital, Sheila said: "I was in my friend's house and someone asked me for a lift and I refused them the lift and went back into the house. I came back out and got back into the car and put the two kids in the back seat of the car. I went to turn the key, and the radio was on. And then I just saw a flash and I looked in the mirror and the two kids were in flames in the back seat.
"I ran to the back of the car and took Philomena out and she was up in fire, her hair and her clothes, and then I was screaming for someone to get Kevin out," she said. "A young fella ran across the road and grabbed them out of the car and just tried to put the flames out.
"They're critical now and have bad burns and they're both on ventilators."
Her daughter is having surgery today and will need skin grafts.
Niall McNamara moved back to his mother's house in Garryowen after the couple split up six months ago. They have eight children.
Anne-Marie Walsh and Barry Duggan
