Gardaí in west Dublin have appealed for information on the murder of a 27-year-old man in a street brawl near Blanchardstown Shopping Centre early yesterday.
Mr John Murphy, of Carne Court, Mulhuddart, was beaten to death in a housing estate by a gang of youths.
Gardaí said the incident followed an altercation between two groups outside a pub in the shopping centre area at about 2 a.m. Mr Murphy and his younger brother was chased into Sheepmoor Grove, where they were struck several times with iron bars.
Both were taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital, where Mr Murphy died from his injuries at 3.40 a.m. Mr Murphy's 25-year-old brother was recovering in hospital yesterday. Gardaí said he suffered severe head and hand injuries.
In a separate incident, a 23-year-old man was shot in the stomach near Corduff Shopping Centre early yesterday. The incident occurred at about 1 p.m.
The man was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital where his condition was described as stable yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue last night replied angrily to criticism by Fine Gael TD Mr Alan Shatter and Labour deputy leader Mr Brendan Howlin of his record in office following the recent street violence.
Mr O'Donoghue said both had been "the principal architects of the politics of appeasement towards criminals" during the Rainbow government.
Mr Shatter had said that Mr O'Donoghue had presided "over seven of the most disastrous days of street violence this country has seen in decades". Mr Howlin said the violent attacks showed that the Government has "failed utterly to deliver on its promises of safer streets and safer communities".