Helen McEntee says there are ‘valid concerns’ about safety of Dublin streets

Gardaí had not just contained the criminals, but had ensured that order was restored “well before midnight,” she told TV cameras on Sunday evening

She insisted there was now a “policing plan in place,” and sought to move on to promised legislation.

She also said she wants legislation enacted on FRT — which has been stalled since the start of the year with the Green Party opposed.

The minister said legislation allowing for the use of body cameras would be passed in the Dáil this week.

Helen McEntee promises Gardai have necessary resources to keep people in Dublin safe

Gardaí had responded in a “very short time” and ensured that order was restored “well before midnight,” she said.

Ms McEntee did not address specific claims in the Sunday Independent that a timeline showed garda management unable to respond as quickly as the scenes demanded.

The minister said 220 gardaí had been in full public-order gear at the height of the rioting, the most ever deployed.

“Just to again acknowledge that there are many people, business owners, members of the community here in the city centre members of minority groups who have very valid concerns.

“And I want to reassure people again, that there is a very strong Garda presence on the ground here in the city. There are four public order units that will remain and there is a policing plan in place.”

But she went on that Gardaí “are at the moment trawling through thousands of hours of CCTV footage,” adding that it is important they have technology available to them “to access that footage as quickly as possible.”

It would “make sure that the thugs and the criminals who are responsible for the destruction we saw in our capital city are brought to justice.

“I’m working to ensure that gardaí have those tools available to them as soon as possible.”

She said work on FRT had been “for the last number of months” and would be fast-tracked to save Garda resources.

“It would reduce the amount of time that they have to spend trawling through CCTV footage to make sure that the thugs and criminals who created so much destruction in our city on Thursday night are brought to justice as soon as possible.

“This should not take months. It should be done in a matter of days and in a matter of weeks,” she said.

“With the use of facial recognition technology that can be possible.”