Mayor was overseas when house was burgled

GARDAÍ ARE investigating a burglary at the family home of the mayor of Roscommon – who like Minister for Justice Alan Shatter – was abroad because of St Patrick’s Day engagements when the break-in occurred.

Cllr Eugene Murphy believes his house may have been targeted because his planned trip to Tucson, Arizona, for St Patrick’s Day had received coverage in national and local media amid some controversy about the cost to the taxpayer of such trips.

Ironically, Mr Murphy, who defended the trip on the grounds of the historic links between Roscommon and Tucson and the tourism potential of the visit, never made it to Arizona because of fog at Heathrow airport.

He was stranded in London last Thursday evening when he got a call to say there had been a burglary at his home. According to the Fianna Fáil councillor, the culprits appeared to have used an implement such as a chisel to force open a bedroom window. Jewellery worthy €2,000-€3,000 was stolen. “My family was out when it happened but my children were very traumatised,” he said.

“I believe it may have something to do with the publicity,” he added. “I am not saying the media should not have covered the trip but my point is that more and more break-ins seem to be occurring because culprits are seizing the opportunity when they know householders are away. A family from Longford were burgled recently when they were appearing on the Winning Streak show, and it seems to be happening when people are away at funerals or weddings or even when families go to Mass.”

Mr Murphy – whose local garda station, Tarmonbarry, was one of a number of rural stations recently shut by Mr Shatter – said he believed reduced Garda manpower may be making offenders more daring.

Mr Murphy, who was due to travel to Tucson with a council official, said the trip was to be part-funded by their hosts, leaving a cost of €2,000 for the council to pick up.

The local authority has pointed out that a Roscommon native named Don Hugo O’Connor established the first settlement of modern-day Tucson, which has been formally linked with Roscommon since 1993.

“Because we missed our connecting flight I had missed three of the functions in Tucson, so it would have been ridiculous to take the next flight out on Friday,” he said. “I was delighted I was not in Arizona when I heard how upset my kids were. As a politician I have often sympathised with people whose homes were broken into but it is only when you see your own family traumatised in this way that you know what it is really like.”