OFFICIAL REACTION:GARDA COMMISSIONER Fachtna Murphy has said the killing of the Corbally brothers and wounding of a boy travelling in their car was an unacceptable crime that would not be tolerated.
Speaking after attending the double murder case conference at Ronanstown Garda station in west Dublin, Mr Murphy said every resource necessary would be committed to solving the murders and to reassuring the local community they could live in peace.
“A mother and father have lost two sons, partners have lost their partners, and children have lost fathers. This type of crime cannot be tolerated in Irish society.”
He said a small core of criminals were intent on killing their rivals, often in drug-related killings for profit and money or to settle scores, but gardaí were determined to solve the latest killings and to meet gangs head on.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said the killings revealed the sheer disregard for human life on the part of “cold-blooded killers”.
“The fact a young teenager was lucky to escape with his life illustrates the scourge of gang crime but it will also redouble the efforts of gardaí in pursuing the killers.”
While solving gun killings was challenging, the Garda was well resourced and the anti-gangland legislation introduced last year would aid the fight against gangs, he said. However, Mr Ahern added that gardaí often received no co-operation from the associates of gun murder victims when trying to solve those killings.
Labour’s justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte, in whose constituency the double murder occurred, said the viciousness of gangs had been revealed once again.
“It’s just appalling that it has come to this; that human life is this cheap and professional killers roam the streets.”
He said criminal gangs were prepared to murder with impunity because they knew there was little prospect of being brought to justice. Figures released to him by the Department of Justice showed there had been 23 convictions for the 198 gun murders since 1998.
“These figures mean that just one gun murder in eight is likely to result in somebody ending up behind bars. This shocking statistic lays bare the claims of Fianna Fáil on crime.”
Fine Gael’s justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said: “The fact that this double murder took place on a bright evening, while people were out enjoying the sunshine and children were playing, shows how communities continue to be terrorised.”
Despite Fine Gael supporting the Government in introducing anti-gangland legislation last July making it illegal to participate in a gang, there has been no convictions to date. “In spite of his grand words and gestures, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern is not making any impact against gangland,” Mr Flanagan said.
Sinn Féin’s justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh said: “It is clear that more resources need to be dedicated to the fight against drugs in our communities.
“Gardaí who are fully trained to fight crime need to be taken out from behind their desks and put directly into the fight against the drugs crisis in this State.”