The Government is determined to rid society of gangland crime, and the Dáil may hold a debate on the issue next week, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said today.
Ossory Road in Dublin where a 34-year-old traffic garda was shot on Tuesday. Image: Irish Times.
One man was killed and two others were injured - including a traffic garda - in separate shootings since the weekend.
Deputising for the Taoiseach in the Dáil, Mr Cowen said he would consider a request from Labour leader Eamon Gilmore for an all-party Dáil discussion with Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan on gangland crime next week.
"There was a further serious incident last night and coming in the same week that a garda carrying out his duties was so callously shot and injured is a reminder that there are people out there who are prepared to put human life at risk for their own selfish ends," he told the Dáil.
"I want to reiterate the determination of this government to rid society of this problem. We have undertaken an unprecedented programme of resourcing the gardai and reforming the criminal justice system to combat crime."
Raising the issue, Mr Gilmore earlier called for action.
"We had a man shot dead in Finglas on Sunday, we had a garda shot in the course of his duty, another man shot last night," Mr Gilmore said. "We have a serious problem of gun and gangland shootings in this country."
PA