Nicole Morey: Woman killed in dog attack ‘in prime of her life’

A woman who died after being attacked by a dog at a house in County Limerick has been named locally as Nicole Morey.

The attack happened at about 23:40 on Tuesday in Ballyneety.

Ms Morey, who was 23, was treated by paramedics but died at the scene, gardaí (Irish police) said.

A Garda spokesperson said officers from an armed support unit sent to the scene encountered a number of aggressive dogs.

They said one dog was destroyed and three others were seized.

Ms Morey’s body was taken to University Hospital Limerick where a post-mortem examination will be carried out.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ said the dog that was destroyed was understood to have been an XL bully.

It said the other dogs were suspected to be from a restricted breed.

Local councillor Conor Sheehan said Ms Morey’s death had sent a “ripple of shock” through the community, adding that people were “horrified”.

Mr Sheehan said he knew of the family and one of Ms Morey’s sisters worked in a business near his home.

“She was 23, in the prime of life,” he said. “To be killed in that way is really upsetting.”

Father Richard Davern, of St Mary’s Church, Athlunkard, Limerick, said the community was in “disbelief” but would provide support to the family.

He said the family had connections in the parish and were “well-known and highly-regarded”.

He had been speaking to someone who knew Ms Morely and said she had a “lovely personality”.

She had ambitions to train as a special needs assistant, he added.

Irish Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys said she was “absolutely appalled” by the woman’s death and sent sympathies to her family.

She said more action was required in relation to dog control and that she had set up a cross-governmental stakeholder group, chaired by the retired Deputy Garda Commissioner John Twomey, to examine the issue.

“I have asked the group to examine the restricted breeds list, in line with actions being taken in the UK and Northern Ireland,” she said in a statement.

“I am committed to working with colleagues across government in taking whatever action is necessary to strengthen our dog control laws.”

However Mr Sheehan said more immediate action is needed to tackle the issue.

“We don’t need a taskforce,” he said.

“We need swift action to ban some breeds immediately, neuter XL bullies and have adequate enforcement.”

Mr Sheehan said he is concerned that strict controls on the ownership of XL bullies in the UK could mean more of the dogs come to the Republic through Northern Ireland.

“We are not prepared for an influx of XL bullies,” he said.