The Government is determined to rid society of the problem of gun crime and has undertaken an unprecedented programme of resourcing the Garda and reforming the criminal justice system, Tánaiste Brian Cowen has told the Dáil.
Crime will be discussed in detail at next week's Cabinet meeting, Mr Cowen said, during the Order of Business, indicating that time could be allocated for a Dáil debate on the issue.
In the wake of three shootings including one murder in the past five days in the capital, Mr Cowen said it "indicates a deterioration in the fabric of our society that there are people of such a callous nature who are prepared to gun down unarmed gardaí who carry out their duties on our behalf and are a bulwark of our democratic life".
Referring to the shooting of a 48-year-old man in Inchicore on Wednesday night, he said that "occurring in the same week when a garda carrying out his duties on behalf of the public was so callously shot and injured, it is a reminder that there are people who are prepared to put human life at risk for their own selfish ends.
"I want to reiterate the determination of this Government to rid society of that problem," Mr Cowen said.
He highlighted that the Garda was receiving huge resources and there were major reforms of the criminal justice system "including a range of legislative measures to combat crime, in particular gun crime".
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore had earlier called for a debate with the Minister for Justice on the "deteriorating crime situation. A man was shot in Finglas on Sunday. A garda was shot in the course of his duty during the week. There was another shooting last night. We have a serious problem of gun crime gangland shootings," he said.
