Justice offers help to families of murdered woman and girl

The Department of Justice is contacting the families of the young woman and the girl recently murdered with a view to assisting them, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

Mr Varadkar said he condemned unreservedly the "senseless and brutal crimes'', which led to the deaths of Jastine Valdez in Wicklow and Ana Kriegel in Dublin.

“Although nothing we can say will bring them back, I hope we can provide some assurance to the many young women and families out there who are scared and concerned,’’ he said.

Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, he said the Cabinet had discussed the murders at its meeting earlier.

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Mr Varadkar said Tánaiste Simon Coveney had made contact with the Philippine embassy to see if there was any assistance that could be provided in the case of Ms Valdez.

The National Educational Psychological Service had sent a team to Ana Kriegel’s school to assist the children there, for whom it must be a difficult and shocking time.

He recognised, he said, An Garda Síochána for its very swift action in dealing with the two terrible crimes.

He thanked the Defence Forces and the Civil Defence for the assistance they gave the civil authorities.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin acknowledged the "hurt and devastation'' being experienced by both families.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them,’’ he added.

“They were taken violently and brutally and their families and communities have been left broken-hearted.’’

He paid tribute to the gardaí and first responders for all they were doing in such very devastating and traumatic situations.

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald extended “solidarity and condolences’’ to the communities, friends and, above all, the families of a girl and a young woman who had lost their lives so horribly and cruelly.

“We can only imagine the feelings and heartbreak of their loved ones at this most difficult time,’’ she added.