Fire at Balbriggan 'head shop'

Gardaí are investigating a fire at a so-called head shop in the north Co Dublin town of Balbriggan.

Fire services were called to the premises on Railway St at 11.30pm. Gardaí said the front of the shop was damaged in the fire. The scene has been preserved for a technical examination.

The fire follows a spate of attacks on head shops across the country and comes less than a week after a head shop was petrol-bombed in Dundalk.

The Magic Bus shop, on Bridge Street, sustained extensive damage when it was attacked last Thursday.

Last month an Army bomb disposal squad carried out a controlled explosion on a device outside a head shop in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. In February, the Nirvana head shop and a number of neighbouring outlets on Capel Street, Dublin, were destroyed by fire.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said last week that the Government is working to “tighten up the law” to deal with the issue of head shops and the increasing use of so-called legal highs.

Speaking in the Dáil today, however, Labour TD Joe Costello said the Government's failure to tackle the issue of head shops was leading to vigilantism.

Referring to last night's fire in Balbriggan, Mr Costello said: "Such attacks, mainly arson, are now occurring on a regular basis. At least seven head shops have now been damaged, mainly in the greater Dublin area, including two in my own constituency of Dublin Central."

"It is a matter of serious concern that vigilante groups are taking the law into their own hands. The opportunity is there because the total failure of the Government to take any action over the last 12 months has allowed the situation to deteriorate and allowed sinister elements to move in."