Gardai making 'preliminary enquiries' into remarks by Limerick councillor after Dublin stabbing
GARDAI have confirmed they are making enquiries into comments allegedly made by a public representative at a council meeting.
Metropolitan district leader, councillor Azad Talukder sparked controversy when he was reported to have called for those involved in November's riots in Dublin to be "shot in the head".
The Fianna Fail member is alleged to have made the comments at last November's full council meeting which took place only a few days after the disturbances in the capital on a day which also saw a five-year-old girl seriously injuried during a stabbing incident in Dublin's city centre.
This Friday a spokesperson for the gardai confirmed the remarks have been brought to their attention and they are making "preliminary enquires".
"An Garda Síochána is making enquiries into comments reported to An Garda Síochána, which were made by a public representative. These preliminary enquiries will assist in determining whether a formal criminal investigation is to be commenced," they stated.
Cllr Talukder's alleged comments gained national attention, and led to his party colleague, the Minister of State Jack Chambers to describe them as "completely inappropriate".
Fianna Fail also said they would "engage" with Cllr Talukder.
For his part, the City West councillor has previously disputed the manner in which the comments were reported.
He withdrew the comments at the meeting when asked to do so. He later apologised “unreservedly” and insisted he was referring to the man suspected of stabbing a five-year-old girl at Parnell Square in Dublin city centre and not the rioters, as had been reported.
“I was very emotional and traumatised when I heard someone had stabbed a five-year-old child and was reacting to that and I misspoke. I did not mean to refer to the rioters but was speaking about someone who could stab a child. Even at that, I had difficulty expressing myself through English.
“As an elected councillor I should not have used the language I did, I should have been more careful with my words and I am truly sorry. As my party headquarters has said such use of words is totally unacceptable."
Councillor Talukder - who made headlines in 2019 when he became the first Muslim elected to Limerick's local authority - declined to comment this Friday.