A senior Catholic Church leader has offered to mediate between the two feuding criminal gangs in Drogheda to stop the violence between them, following the murder and dismemberment of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods.
The teenager was murdered and his remains dismembered before being left at a number of locations in Dublin.
Bishop Michael Router, the Auxilliary Bishop of Armagh, who lives in Co Louth, said the reprehensible sub-culture which views human life as expendable must be defeated.
Bishop Router also said he has made previous attempts to speak to members of both criminal gangs but he has been rebuffed.
However, he appealed to the families of the gang members and leaders, the wives, mothers, partners and adult children to help settle the feud before more lives are lost.
The Bishop said the murder of Keane has taken violence to such a point that "enough is enough."
The gangs he said are grooming children and society needs to take back control so that vulnerable children can be "cherished not exploited."
He also said there are people with "blood on their hands" and that "we all have a responsibility to assist the gardaí to apprehend not just the perpetrators of this evil, but also the gang leaders who orchestrated it."
Earlier, Mayor of Drogheda, Labour's Paul Bell, said that a rally is being planned in Drogheda on Saturday 25 January to protest against criminal activity in the town. The rally is expected to take place at 2pm.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Bell said some people in the town who have been exposed to criminal activity are in despair.
Mr Bell said more has to be done to provide gardaí with the resources and legislation needed to deal with organised crime appropriately.
Mr Bell said many citizens in Drogheda have been exposed to criminal activity and want it come to an end.
A priest in Drogheda has said that violence and fear have become part of the daily lives of people living in the town.
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Fr Phil Gaffney said "ruthless criminals" are exploiting young people for their own benefit.
Fr Gaffney, who is the parish priest in Ballsgrove, said there is a great fear among parents that their children will be drawn into the violence.
"For the last two years now unfortunately violence and fear is an unacceptable reality in our daily lives here in Drogheda.
"The reality is ruthless criminals are grooming young teenagers and exploiting them for their own benefit."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he plans to visit Drogheda in the coming days as part of efforts to assure the public that everything possible will be done to catch those responsible for the murder of Keane Mulready-Wood.
Taoiseach @LeoVaradkar says he plans to visit Drogheda in next few days as part of efforts to assure public that everything possible will be done to catch those responsible for horrific murder of 17 year old Keane Mulready-Woods. @rtenews
— Vincent Kearney (@vincekearney) January 16, 2020
