Criminal gangs now feel that they can carry out gangland killings without any risk of prosecution, the Labour Party has warned.
Six gangland killings have taken place so far this year, compared with eight during the whole of last year. "Not a single person was charged in connection with any of last year's murders," the party's justice spokesman, Mr Joe Costello, said.
"When the crime barons are able to pass death sentences on people and have them carried out with little fear of detection or conviction, then we are experiencing an unacceptable breakdown of law and order," he said.
Demanding action from the Minister for Justice, he said Mr McDowell had "talked tough" about crime and violence during the weekend Progressive Democrats annual conference. "But he has taken no legislative action to deal with the deteriorating situation; he has reneged on the pre-election pledge to deliver an extra 2,000 gardaí and has allowed the Minister for Finance to impose a cap of 12,500 on membership of the force," he said.
The latest gangland killings come on top of the disclosure of a massive increase in crime, and especially the level of violent assaults.
"Despite all the promises of zero tolerance by the Fianna Fáil/PD government, this country is now a more dangerous and violent place probably than at any time since the Civil War.
"I will be raising the matter in the Dáil this week and demanding that the Minister for Justice and the gardaí take urgent action to put the gangs out of business and put their leaders behind bars."
