Independent Dublin City councillor Gavin Pepper has been criticised over comments he made relating to the Jamey Carney murder investigation on American news outlet Fox News.<\/p>\n
Ballymun-Finglas councillor Pepper, who frequently posts anti-immigration content on social media, was referring to a suspect in the investigation fleeing the country. Garda\u00ed believe he travelled to Dublin and caught a flight to the Middle East before Carney’s body was discovered in Killarney.<\/p>\n
Appearing on Fox, Pepper said: “My appeal to the American citizens watching is: don’t come to Ireland, it’s not safe. How could you class Ireland as a safe country when they don’t even release the identity of an individual who is wanted in relation to the death of one of your own citizens?<\/p>\n
“It’s very disheartening… the Irish people are upset about it… but at the end of the day, the man got a head start, he’s out of the country.<\/p>\n
“Do I believe they’ll ever find him? It’s very unlikely, I hope they do… but at the end of the day, now they’re relying on overseas police to do their job. Their job was to do a manhunt… you couldn’t script it.”<\/p>\n
Peppers comments are contradicted by established Garda practice during an investigation. An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na generally does not publicly release the names or identities of suspects before they are formally charged.<\/p>\n
This is primarily to protect the integrity of the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings, despite Pepper’s suggestion that this was an isolated situation.<\/p>\n
Pepper also suggested garda\u00ed did not launch a manhunt. Garda\u00ed said ports and airports were alerted after the discovery of Carney’s body, although the person of interest is believed to have already left the State.<\/p>\n
Former Irish ambassador to the US Daniel Mulhall and Minister of State Neale Richmond were among those who have criticised Pepper.<\/p>\n
Mulhall wrote: “Dear @FoxNews, as a former Ambassador of Ireland to the USA, I respectfully request an opportunity to set the record straight about Ireland. Your interviewee has given a distorted picture. In the interests of balance, you need to hear alternative views.”<\/p>\n
Dear @FoxNews<\/a>, as a former Ambassador of Ireland to the USA, I respectfully request an opportunity to set the record straight about Ireland. Your interviewee has given a distorted picture. In the interests of balance, you need to hear alternative views. https:\/\/t.co\/AblwCD4lA2<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Gxg3oYEdlM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Daniel Mulhall (@DanMulhall) July 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Richmond wrote “Ah lads\u2026”, and shared a chart from the Global Peace Index which ranked Ireland second only to Iceland in terms of safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ah lads\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/TAicwMhfSH<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/EVlzGfxJpM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Neale Richmond (@nealerichmond) July 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n BreakingNews.ie has contacted Gavin Pepper and An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na for comment.<\/p>\n