A city councillor said that the recent arson attacks on families living in the Castlepark area of Ballybane are deeply concerning.
Cllr Alan Cheevers said that this “very serious situation” needs to be de-escalated before someone is killed, and that local residents are extremely concerned.
There have two extremely serious arson incidents in Castlepark in the past week, both at houses with people inside.
In the early hours of Thursday, February 3 a house was set ablaze with four people inside, three of them children. Though fortunately no-one was seriously injured.
Three people were arrested in connection with this incident, one of them a juvenile, and later released pending a file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Following that, on Sunday night shortly before midnight, a car was set ablaze outside a house in Castlepark, and a front window of the home was smashed.
“Luckily nobody was hurt and the families got away with no serious injuries from the first two attacks, but this may not be the case again,” Alan Cheevers warned.
He added that this has proved “deeply worrying” for the residents of Castlepark, saying that many have contacted him over the past few days.
“I have written to Superintendent Flanagan with the support of my council colleagues in Galway City East, requesting a meeting with the local councillors and a briefing to discuss this issue in more detail.”
