Navan school attack: Taoiseach describes assault that left schoolboy with serious facial injuries as ‘horrific’

A video of the attack, which happened in the Navan area of Co Meath, has gone viral on social media.

Gardaí are investigating the assault, which occurred on Monday at about 2.30pm.

Speaking on Wednesday in Reykjavik, Leo Varadkar condemned the incident.

“It was horrifying really, and I think everyone would condemn it utterly,” he said.

And he had a personal message for the teenage victim: “I really want to send my solidarity out to the person who was harmed and injured in this way.

“I would say to them that life does get better. It is very sad that people experience violence and bullying in school, but life does get better and I’d say not to give up.”

The Taoiseach added, however: “I understand there is a garda investigation underway and that the victim has been treated for their injuries.

“I would first of all, really ask anyone who has information to cooperate with the Garda investigation.”

“And also I would really just say how sad I am that in this day and age we still see this kind of bullying and violence happening in our schools,” Mr Varadkar said.

“You’d hope that as time moves on, particularly with young people today being so progressive and so clued-in as to the world around them, that this wouldn't happen - but it still does, and I just really, really feel sorry for the young person who was attacked, and for their family.”

The students’ school has initiated “significant disciplinary procedures” arising from the attack.

The attack did not happen on school grounds, but occurred as the teenager was walking across a nearby green.

“A male juvenile, later attended Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where he received treatment for serious facial injuries,” the Garda Press Office stated.

“An Garda Síochána is aware of a video circulating on social media of this incident and, out of respect, for the victim, has requested that people refrain from sharing it, it added.

Gardaí are appealing to any person with information on the assault to contact Navan Garda Station at 046 9079930.

The school attended by the students, Beaufort College, Navan, can be identified by the uniform worn by those involved in the incident.

The co-educational, multi-denominational school has about 790 pupils.

Independent.ie sought to contact Beaufort College for comment.

Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), the school’s patron body, said it had advised the school to refer all queries to it.

LMETB said it was “aware of an alleged incident which occurred in Navan on Monday last".

LMETB spokesperson Brian Murphy said later that “significant disciplinary procedures have been initiated at school level and we await the outcome of due process”.

Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on children Senator Mary Seery Kearny issued a statement on the matter.

She said the “images of a violent attack of an Irish male teenager by a gang of school children is nothing short of horrifying”

“Social media images circulating of the teen being attacked by schoolmates as he tried to make his way across a green are appalling to view.

“This child, and I assume he is a child, is being filmed as a group of pupils from a school pile on him, kicking him, punching him, pulling his hair and taunting him.”

“It is a sickening display of violence and humiliation and I can’t remember the last time I have seen anything so distressing,” she said.

She said the perpetrators need to be dealt with a message sent from the school’s board of management, the gardaí and parents, “that these shameful, cowardly and utterly disgusting acts will not be tolerated and will be punished”.

Senator Seery Kearney said as legislators the onus was “also on us to ensure that our children are protected from all types of abuse, and we have seen the ugly side of social media with this – this needs to be stamped out urgently or our society will be in freefall for future generations.”