Tragedies 'leave a lasting impression' with officers - Harris

Responding to incidents involving children such as the recent deaths of Thelma and Michael Dennany in Multyfarnham leave a "lasting impression" with the individual members of Garda Siochana involved, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris says.

Speaking at a public meeting with the Policing Authority in Dublin Castle yesterday (Thursday) where the recent tragic incidents in Multyfarnham and Tallaght were discussed, Commissioner Harris said that they were dealt “in a very professional and proficient manner”.

He also said that there is “no doubt” that responding to tragic incidents involving children “leave a lasting impression with the individual members of Garda Siochana, and the staff who’ve had to respond to the scenes and then deal with the aftermath of those scenes”.

Mr Harris said that while responding to tragedies is part of the job, they still take their toll on individual officers.

“I recognise… the heavy weight of responsibility borne by some of our most junior members in terms of the incidents that they have to respond to, and just think the last four weeks have been illustrative of just how difficult those can be.”

Referencing the recent tragic deaths of the Dennany children and Margaret Cash McDonagh (18) and her twin siblings Christy and Chelsea Cash in Tallaght on September 4, the Policing Authority chairman Bob Collins said:

“If there was a sequence of events that encapsulate the challenges that face Garda members and the risks that face Garda members in the nature of their duty, it has been this sequence of some truly awful events over the last number of weeks.”