of dublin, and began attacking buildings, and clashing with police. these pictures appear to show a store being looted. at least one bus was set on fire and other vehicles were burned and public transport services were damaged. riot police were deployed. speaking at a press conferrence this morning, police chief drew harris highlighted the unexpected nature of these riots which he blamed on a �*complete lunatic faction driven by far right ideology.�* we could not have anticipated that in response to a terrible crime, the stabbing of school children and their teacher, that this would be the response. in effect, those filled with hate and the hate directed towards members of an garda siochana, that they would attempt to storm through our cordon and disrupt the crime scene and then engage in violence, looting and disorder, including very significant criminal damage. nobody could have anticipated that when these events started at 1:30, these awful events, and obviously we were concentrated upon the investigation, we couldn't have anticipated that this would be the reaction. live now to our correspondent in dublin sara girvin. we are waiting to hear from the irish prime minister, the taoiseach, leo varadkar. there has been a lot of reaction to this so far. take us through the reaction from the garda, this is an extremely complex and unexpected event last night. absolutely. the clean—up operation is still well under way. in fact, in some parts of the city the only evidence as to what happened last night... evidence as to what happened last niuht... . , evidence as to what happened last niuht... ., , night... sara girvin, can i interw— night... sara girvin, can i interrupt you _ night... sara girvin, can i interrupt you because - night... sara girvin, can ii interrupt you because the night... sara girvin, can i - interrupt you because the irish taoiseach is just about to start speaking? let's take a listen. each attack brought _ speaking? let's take a listen. each attack brought shame _ speaking? let's take a listen. eacn attack brought shame to our speaking? let's take a listen. eam attack brought shame to our society and disgrace to those involved, and incredible pain to those caught up incredible pain to those caught up in the violence. as taoiseach i want to say to a nation that is unsettled and frayed, this is not who we are, this is not who we want to be and this is not who we want to be and this is not who we will ever be. yesterday afternoon innocent children were attacked in dublin city centre. it was a horrifying active guy violence and our thoughts are with the injured children, their heroic care assistant who threw himself in harm's way to protect them, and all those who risked their lives to save lives. they are real irish heroes, whatever their nationality, irish, british and italian. ourthoughts nationality, irish, british and italian. our thoughts also with the doctors and nurses in our city who are trying to save the lives of those who were injured. many of them come from abroad. and our and prayers are with a nation united with shock. yesterday evening some people decided that the best way to respond to this terrible attack was to take to the streets of dublin and tried to terrify, intimidate, loot and destroy. the first reaction to a five—year—old child being stabbed was to burn our city, attack its businesses and assault our garden. as a result of their actions, buses and trams were set on fire, innocent passers—by were intimidated and pregnant women were made to feel unsafe and in danger. these people claim to be defending irish citizens, yet they put in danger of the newest and most vulnerable and innocent people. those involved brought shame on dublin, brought shame on ireland and brought shame on theirfamilies and shame on ireland and brought shame on their families and themselves. these criminals did not do what they did because they love ireland. they did because they love ireland. they did not do what they did because they wanted to protect irish people, they wanted to protect irish people, they did not do it out of any sense of patriotism, however warped. they did so because they are filled with hate. they love violence, they love chaos and they love causing pain to others. looting a shop was more important to them than protecting the lives of our children and they disrupted a garda investigation that was under way. the gardai gained control of our streets last night within a few hours and they want to thank them for that and for the risks that they tuck. i want to pay tribute to our gardai, particularly those who answered the cool from all over the country who came to dublin within a few hours. —— the risks that they took. we need to take ireland away from the cowards who hide behind masks and tried terrify us with their violence. we need to reclaim ireland from the unscrupulous who play on the fears of those easily led into darkness and we need to reclaim ireland from the criminals who seek any excuse to unleash horror on our streets. this morning as taoiseach, i promise we will use the full resources of the law, the full machinery of the state, to punish those involved in yesterday's grotesque events. and we will put in place measures to ensure that any repeated attempts will meet the full measure of the law. i spoke with the minister forjustice and the garda commissioner last night and met the garda commissioner this morning. we have sufficient gardai and there are more in training. we have sufficient equipment and there is more on the way. we have strong laws and the garda commissioner is free to use the public order act over the weekend as is required. we will pass new laws in the coming weeks to enable the gardai to make use of the cctv evidence they collected yesterday and also modernise our laws against incitement to hatred and hatred in general. and that is more required than ever was the case before and we will do that in weeks as well. to all of those cowardly champions of ireland who took to the streets of dublin last night, let me say one thing, ask your sisters, ask your friends, ask everyone you know what they fear most on our streets. they are afraid of you, they are afraid of your anger and your rage, afraid of your anger and your rage, afraid of your anger and your rage, afraid of your violence, your hate and how you blame others for your problems. as a government we will be relentless in protecting our citizens as defending our people. the gardai will be on the streets in large numbers and will do whatever it takes to fight back waves of ignorance and commonality. the ministerforjustice ignorance and commonality. the minister forjustice will coordinate with the commissioner to ensure we never witnessed such terrible scenes as the 23rd of november 2023 ever again. being irish means more than saluting the tricolour. beating our chests and pointing to where you were born. it means living up to the ideals represented by ourflag, it means being true to our own history and acting with compassion to others. and today i cool on us all who we really are, because we're better than this and it time we came together and reminded others who claim to speak for us about what our country really stands for. thank you. country really stands for. thank ou. y ., country really stands for. thank ou. , ., ., country really stands for. thank ou. ., . you. do you have confidence in the garda commissioner _ you. do you have confidence in the garda commissioner following - you. do you have confidence in the i garda commissioner following events last night— garda commissioner following events last night regarding _ garda commissioner following events last night regarding whether- garda commissioner following events last night regarding whether we - garda commissioner following events last night regarding whether we were| last night regarding whether we were adequately— last night regarding whether we were adequately prepared _ last night regarding whether we were adequately prepared and _ last night regarding whether we were adequately prepared and can - last night regarding whether we were adequately prepared and can you - last night regarding whether we were| adequately prepared and can you give us an update — adequately prepared and can you give us an update on— adequately prepared and can you give us an update on the _ adequately prepared and can you give us an update on the children - adequately prepared and can you give us an update on the children injured i us an update on the children injured in the _ us an update on the children injured in the stabbing _ us an update on the children injured in the stabbing attack _ us an update on the children injured in the stabbing attack yesterday, i in the stabbing attack yesterday, and separately— in the stabbing attack yesterday, and separately in— in the stabbing attack yesterday, and separately in relation- in the stabbing attack yesterday, and separately in relation to - and separately in relation to today's _ and separately in relation to today's conference, - and separately in relation to today's conference, what i and separately in relation to today's conference, what isl and separately in relation to i today's conference, what is the focus _ today's conference, what is the focus for — today's conference, what is the focus for you? _ today's conference, what is the focus for you? i— today's conference, what is the focus for you?— focus for you? i have total confidence _ focus for you? i have total confidence in _ focus for you? i have total i confidence in commissioner focus for you? i have total - confidence in commissioner harris and total confidence in the gardai, they have an extremely difficultjob to do last night and they did it. they contained the riot, they brought the city back under control within a matter of hours and gardai travel from all over the country may call was put out to gardai who have the right training to come from all over the country, is gardai fighting back these folks got tired or got injured, they had other guards behind them to replace them and fill their shoes. behind them to replace them and fill theirshoes. i behind them to replace them and fill their shoes. i think obviously we'll have to a review as to what happened yesterday and all of the events leading up to it but over the next couple of days and weeks we need to be 100% behind the gardai. there has been no criticism of the gardai, only total support for the gardai and commissioner. in relation to the injuries, we have some details. as you know, five are injured in the two in a critical condition still. both the five—year—old girl who was stabbed in the chest and also a care assistant who shielded, who used her body as a shield to prevent other children from being injured. they are both in a critical condition. the person who carried out this attack was intent on murder. that is clear. we don't know his motivations. the gardai have identified his dwelling, have his computer and have his phone. we will be able to assess that in the coming days so i don't want to speculate on motivations at this stage. it absolutely nothing is ruled out in that regard. i really want to thank the people on the street who intervened. it is hard to believe that this could have been worse but it could have been worse had they not done so. let's not forget that those who intervened were notjust from ireland, they were from other countries as well. just from ireland, they were from other countries as well.— countries as well. just to follow on from that, — countries as well. just to follow on from that. you _ countries as well. just to follow on from that, you said _ countries as well. just to follow on from that, you said you _ countries as well. just to follow on from that, you said you were - countries as well. just to follow on | from that, you said you were having conversations — from that, you said you were having conversations with _ from that, you said you were having conversations with garda _ conversations with garda commissioner— conversations with garda commissioner drew- conversations with garda . commissioner drew harris. conversations with garda - commissioner drew harris. what conversations with garda _ commissioner drew harris. what did you say— commissioner drew harris. what did you say to _ commissioner drew harris. what did you say to him — commissioner drew harris. what did you say to him in— commissioner drew harris. what did you say to him in those _ you say to him in those conversations? - you say to him in those conversations? were . you say to him in those i conversations? were you you say to him in those _ conversations? were you satisfied with the _ conversations? were you satisfied with the police _ conversations? were you satisfied with the police in _ conversations? were you satisfied with the police in response - with the police in response yesterday? _ with the police in response yesterday? you _ with the police in response yesterday? you say- with the police in response - yesterday? you say there should be no criticism — yesterday? you say there should be no criticism of _ yesterday? you say there should be no criticism of the _ yesterday? you say there should be no criticism of the garda. _ yesterday? you say there should be no criticism of the garda. we - yesterday? you say there should be no criticism of the garda. we saw. no criticism of the garda. we saw trams— no criticism of the garda. we saw trams and — no criticism of the garda. we saw trams and buses _ no criticism of the garda. we saw trams and buses being _ no criticism of the garda. we saw trams and buses being set- no criticism of the garda. we saw trams and buses being set on- no criticism of the garda. we sawl trams and buses being set on fire, shops— trams and buses being set on fire, shops being — trams and buses being set on fire, shops being broken _ trams and buses being set on fire, shops being broken into. - trams and buses being set on fire, shops being broken into. are - trams and buses being set on fire, shops being broken into. are you i shops being broken into. are you satisfied — shops being broken into. are you satisfied with _ shops being broken into. are you satisfied with the _ shops being broken into. are you satisfied with the police - shops being broken into. are you i satisfied with the police response? and also, — satisfied with the police response? and also, do— satisfied with the police response? and also, do you _ satisfied with the police response? and also, do you have _ satisfied with the police response? and also, do you have confidence i satisfied with the police response? l and also, do you have confidence in your own _ and also, do you have confidence in your own justice _ and also, do you have confidence in your own justice minister _ and also, do you have confidence in your ownjustice minister helen- your own justice minister helen marketed? _ your own justice minister helen marketed?— your own justice minister helen marketed? , ., , marketed? yes, i do, the minister and i am marketed? yes, i do, the minister and i am the _ marketed? yes, i do, the minister and i am the garda _ marketed? yes, i do, the minister and i am the garda commissionerl marketed? yes, i do, the minister- and i am the garda commissioner were in contact over the course of yesterday evening. we had to end events in the castle early for obvious reasons. decisions were made to prioritise the security response. i know people asked a question about having a cabinet meeting wouldn't have been appropriate to use garda resources last night to be protecting a cabinet meeting and all of us, so all the resources were dedicated to bringing under control, and i was in contact those involved throughout the evening and it was about bringing the situation under control, containing the violence to a number of streets and bringing the city under control and it was under control by midnight. this morning is different, it is about the clean—up and the response going forward. there were over 30 arrests and many of them will be in court this morning. but obviously more work will need to be done over the next couple of days, both in relation to the original attack and then also the original attack and then also the follow—on violence that occurred. the follow-on violence that occurred-— the follow-on violence that occurred. ,, , . ., occurred. studio: we will leave the ress occurred. studio: we will leave the press conference _ occurred. studio: we will leave the press conference there. _ occurred. studio: we will leave the press conference there. the - occurred. studio: we will leave the press conference there. the irish i press conference there. the irish prime minister leo varadkar. let's go straight to our correspondent sara girvin in dublin for us. take us through the main points from the prime minister and a reminder of what happened yesterday, really extraordinary events to which started with a horrific attack outside a school.— started with a horrific attack outside a school. yes, they did. just outside a school. yes, they did. just listening — outside a school. yes, they did. just listening to _ outside a school. yes, they did. just listening to leo _ outside a school. yes, they did. just listening to leo varadkar'sl just listening to leo varadkar�*s words, very strong words, he talked about this is not who we are. i was struck by that because it kind of echo something the deputy prime minister micheal martin said within the last hour, he said he also echoed that phrase, what happened last night is not who we are, he said ireland has built a modern and inclusive society, something that he said is precious and leo varadkar also said that people who carried out the violence and the rioting last night love hate. that echoes what we heard from the garda commissioner drew harris this morning. ijust want commissioner drew harris this morning. i just want to take you through a bit of what he had to say. he gave us a lot of detail about the events of last night. what he described as a riotous mob he said tried to break in and disrupt the crime scenejust behind tried to break in and disrupt the crime scene just behind me after the stabbing. we know that three children were stabbed and the woman who believe i'd guess it was a care assistant used her body as a human shield to try and protect the five—year—old girl. drew harris also said the people who carried out that violence last night were driven by a right—wing ideology. yesterday he called them a lunatic, hooligan function, so he was not mincing his words. he said they were filled with hate and he called them thugs, looters, arsonists, and said that last night's scenes were terrible. there were huge disruptions from the mob, he said. in terms of arrests there have been 3a arrests we know of so far and 32 people are due in court this morning because of what happened last night. more figures for you, 13 shops were damaged sitnikov different movie or a looted, drew harris said. we were here last night and we saw so many shop windows smashed in my glass everywhere, people running past us with trainer boxes from items they had stolen from the stores, we imagine. ii garda vehicles were destroyed in the three buses were destroyed in the three buses were destroyed and a tramp. i thought what was he said there was a planned assumption within the garda that they will see further protests. and as we heard from leo varadkar the in terms of how everyone is doing, we know that the five—year—old girl and the woman in her 30s are still in a serious condition. so everyone's thoughts are very much with them. dublin city centre this morning trying its best to get back to normal. but the clean—up operation, the massive clean—up operation, is still under w