Two men in their late teens appeared before New Ross District Court this morning in connection with a suspected arson attack on a Garda mobile speed van in Co Wexford almost two months ago.
A third person, a juvenile, was released without charge.
The GoSafe detection van was stationed on the old N11 between Arklow and Gorey on the evening of Sunday March 13th. The incident occurred about 7.30pm, and while the operator escaped injury, the vehicle was badly damaged.
Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan condemned the attack at the time.
“GoSafe are working on a daily basis to assist An Garda Síochána in reducing speed-related collisions and stopping loss of life and serious injury on our roads,” he said.
“Their work at the side of the country’s roads helps to save many in our communities . . . It is so wrong that this vital work directed at making our community safer for everyone should be the subject of such mindless attack. We are fortunate that no one was injured in Sunday’s incident and I want to condemn it in the strongest terms.”
Last November, the occupant of a speed camera van narrowly escaped when it was set alight on the road between Carrickmacross and Dundalk.
Detectives investigating that incident believe it was carried out by a gang with close links to dissident republicans.
In 2009, a garda had a narrow escape when the vehicle in which he was monitoring traffic was set alight in Blarney, Co Cork. Attacks have also taken place on fixed speed cameras on the N4 outside Kells, and the M1 motorway north of Dublin.