Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan agreed to consult the Garda Commissioner about using the Army in the fight against gangland crime.
Mr Lenihan said he would discuss the issue with Noel Conroy, but warned that the Defence Forces were not trained in policing functions.
"Naturally, if the Garda Síochána were of the opinion that it needed the assistance of the Defence Forces to back up the civil power, it would request such assistance."
Army involvement was suggested by Fine Gael justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan, who said there were gangsters who were not living in fear of anybody and there was now a sub-culture of vicious crime which needed to be addressed.
He suggested to Mr Lenihan that the "standard stage-managed response" of the Government over the past five years or so had been to say that, on foot of a meeting with the Garda Commissioner, the Minister had been assured the question of resources was not an issue.
"Will he consider favourably discussing with the Garda Commissioner the concept of introducing the Defence Forces as back-up, if necessary? We are dealing with circumstances in which the Garda is under-resourced, that it is not equipped properly to deal with this issue."
Mr Flanagan said a response, which had not yet featured, was required.
Denying that the Garda was under-resourced, Mr Lenihan said it was not an issue at the heart of the difficulties being faced.
He did not accept that the discussions with the Garda Commissioner were stage-managed.
"As a matter of necessity, every minister for justice, equality and law reform must liaise constantly with the commissioner.
"As late as yesterday, the commissioner assured me he has sufficient resources to deal with the intelligence aspects of the problem in question."
Earlier, Mr Flanagan said that people had awoken yesterday to the news of yet another gangland murder in the community.
"I put it to the Minister that not enough is being done to resource the Garda. In saying that, I accept the Garda alone will not solve the crime crisis. There is need for a community response.
"However, this community response must be led by a properly resourced and properly equipped Garda."
Mr Flanagan said the gangland killings would not be resolved or minimised until the Minister addressed the matter of resources as opposed to mere members. He referred to the recent report by chief inspector of the Garda Inspectorate Kathleen O'Toole, in which she stated that almost half the Garda stations did not have access to a car.
"The Garda digital radio equipment, promised by the Minister's predecessor ad nauseam, has still not been delivered."
Mr Lenihan agreed that technology resources continued to be an essential tool in supporting the gardaí in their day-to-day work. He was particularly determined that the Garda would deploy the latest technology in tackling gangland crime.
A new national digital radio system was being implemented over two years, with more than 17,000 radios provided for gardaí.
He added that the development of a new major incidents system would automate many of the functions currently being performed manually when a major incident occurred.
There would be new automated fingerprint and ballistic identification systems.
Mr Lenihan said that combating gun and organised crime and drug-trafficking required a sustained and long-term effort.
"There is no quick-fix solution, but the Government is committed to continuing to resource the force to face these challenges."
