A Skerries-based Senator has called for an “urgent and firm reaction” from An Garda Síochána, amid fears of further violence in the town. 

On Saturday night, Gardaí in the North County Dublin town were called out to Harbour Road when a prolonged fight broke out among teenagers. 

During the fight, a car was allegedly driven into people and several were hospitalised with non-life threatening injuries. 

A man in his 20s has since been arrested and charged in connection with the incident. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Fianna Fáil Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee said that the violence had cast a “dark cloud” over Skerries and that she knows one person who was caught up in it. 

“This young woman lives in Skerries and was just out for a walk with her friend, and this fight broke out,” she said. 

“Unfortunately a number of them were hit by a car; I've been in touch with one of the victims and her family. 

“Obviously, it's a very traumatic incident for them.”

Senator Clifford-Lee continued that locals feel that they rarely see Gardaí out on patrol and that this needs to change if they are to feel safer. 

“They've been saying to me that they haven't seen a Guard or a patrol car in the area down by the harbour where hundreds have been gathering now for a number of weeks,” she said. 

“The presence isn't there; we need to have more Guards on the beat to make sure that incidents like this don't happen again. 

“To reassure people that they can go to Skerries harbour and go out for a drink, go out for a meal with their family and friends and they won't be caught up in something like this.”

'An urgent and firm reaction from the Guards'

Senator Clifford-Lee added there is “always a worry” that further violence will break out in the near future. 

“That's why I think we need an urgent and firm reaction from the Guards, because this is something that could happen again, of course,” she said. 

“Young people, hundreds of young people have been gathering in the area, they've been bringing their own drink with them and, obviously, tensions have broken out.”

Gardaí have asked for anyone with any information to contact Balbriggan Garda Station.

Main image: Skerries.