A garda is in hospital after being shot in the stomach while on duty in Dublin this morning.
The Traffic Corps motorcycle officer stopped a stolen car on Ossory Road, just off the North Strand, Dublin 1, shortly after 9am.
It is believed the silver Nissan Almera was stolen last May but was spotted on the North Strand this morning by its owner. It was occupied by two men wearing yellow high-visibility jackets.
The silver car is removed from the scene of this morning's shooting. PA
The garda pulled the car over when he saw the number plate, but one of the passengers got out of the car and shot him in the stomach with a sawn-off shotgun.
The garda, a 34-year-old married man with two young children, was taken to the Mater hospital, where his condition is described as stable.
The car was later discovered abandoned at St Barnabas Road, and the occupants are believed to have switched to a white van.
There was a large Garda presence at the scene after the shooting, and roads were closed in the area for a time. Gardaí at Store Street are investigating.
President McAleese condemned the shooting and said she had spoken to Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy about it.
"Once again, we see the risks which members of An Garda Síochána are exposed to in the line of duty and the enormous bravery they demonstrate in responding to those challenges," she said.
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said the incident was "a stark reminder of the dangers faced by members of An Garda Síochána in protecting the community".
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Garda concerned, his family, friends and his colleagues. An Garda Síochána will spare no effort in bringing the perpetrators of this outrage to justice, and they will have the full support of the community in doing that. . . . It's a very serious situation," he said.
The Minister praised the gardaí for their work in tackling crime, and said a huge amount of investment had been in fighting crime. Speaking at an event in Dublin this afternoon, Mr Lenihan appealed to the public to come forward with information.
Fine Gael justice spokesman Charles Flanagan said it was a "very serious development and shows how gangland continues to go from strength to strength.
"Fianna Fáil has failed abjectly to deal with gangland [crime] in two full terms of Government. We urgently need a programme of action from the Government about how it intends to deal with this lethal menace."
Labour Party TD for Dublin Central Joe Costello said the shooting was "a direct challenge to the authority of the State and the whole regime of law and order". He called on Mr Lenihan and the Garda Commissioner to put together a task force to tackle gun crime.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) condemned the shooting as a "callous, cowardly and despicable" act. GRA president John Egan said: "This incident illustrates the increasing level of gun crime in our towns and cities and the inherent dangers to our members and the public.
"The shooting is a callous, cowardly and despicable act carried out by people who have no respect for human life," he added. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the garda concerned and his family."
Gardai in Fitzgibbon Street Station are heading up the investigation. They are looking for anybody who was in the North Strand/Ossory Road area this morning between 6am and 9am to contact their incident room on 01 666 8454 .
Witnesses who may have seen the culprits in St Barnabas Gardens in the white van, or when they are believed to have travelled along West Road / East Wall in it, are also sought. Detectives are also looking for information on the location of the stolen car (registration number 02-D-68111 since last May.