Fianna Fáil will 'engage' with one of its Limerick Councillors after he suggested people who took part in last week's Dublin riots should be 'shot in the head.'
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Fianna Fáil Minister of State Jack Chambers said the comments from Limerick Councillor Abul Kalam Azad Talukder were 'totally inappropriate'.
The Limerick Post reports that Cllr Talukder told a meeting of Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) on Monday that 'not even an animal' would act like the rioters did in Dublin last week.
He said they should face public punishment - noting that they should be "shot in the head" or beaten by the public "until they die".
He immediately withdrew the comments - noting that the words were "only an expression of my emotion".
Minister Chambers said the comments were "totally inappropriate".
"I welcome the fact that he withdrew the comments immediately at that meeting," he said.
"Just to be clear, anyone involved in the events last week must face the justice system and our legal system as anybody else would.
"Those comments are completely inappropriate and I welcome the fact he withdrew them at that meeting.
"The party will engage with him on his remarks".
'Call it as it was'
Minister Chambers said he would agree to use of the term 'thugs' for those who took part in the rioting.
Asked about Justice Minister Helen McEntee labelling some rioters 'scumbags' and 'thugs', he said we have to call it as it was.
"The people involved in the violence last week, it was thuggish behaviour and we have to call it as it was," Minister Chambers said.
"I think on the wider point we just need to focus again on the downright criminality, the total intimidation, the sense of fear that they created last week.
"I think the wider, more fundamental points about what brought people to that point where they were engaging in such reckless criminal behaviour is worthy of further consideration.
"I think for most people out there they want to see a strong Garda response," he added.
Yesterday, the Garda Commissioner announced a range of measures to improve policing after last week's Dublin riots.
Under the plan, all Gardaí will now carry pepper spray, and members of the Public Order Unit will carry tasers.
