THE Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, extended his "deepest and heartfelt sympathy" to the family and relatives of Det Garda McCabe.
"My sympathies also go to the garda who was injured in this callous attack on members of the force in the course of their duties, serving the people of this country," he said. "No effort will be spared in bringing those responsible for this appalling outrage to justice."
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said that the murderous attack in Adare was a shocking and cowardly act. The vicious gunning down of two brave Garda officers would be condemned by everyone.
The Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, expressed her "deepest sympathy" to the family of Det Garda McCabe at their "tragic and sudden bereavement". The Minister, who cancelled an engagement at Wheatfield Prison yesterday, also expressed her sympathy to the family of Det Garda O'Sullivan.
"At tragic times like this we are all reminded of the great debt that we owe to members of the Garda Siochana who put their lives at risk in the course of their duty in protecting the property and security of all our citizens."
The Minister for Social Welfare and Democratic Left leader, Mr De Rossa, said: "This appalling attack illustrates once again the dangers that members of the gardai face daily and the debt that society owes them for their efforts to protect us all from the ravages of violent crime. The circumstances of this attack were particularly cruel and vicious.
Senator Dan Neville, the Fine Gael spokesman on justice in the Seanad (who lives locally), also condemned the "savage murder" of Det Garda McCabe. He said there was a "palpable" sense of shock, outrage and sympathy in the community.
The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, expressed his sorrow and deepest sympathy. "The cold and callous manner in which Det McCabe was murdered and his colleague Ben O'Sullivan was wounded has shocked and dismayed us all. My thoughts and sympathy are with his wife, family, colleagues and all the members of the Garda on their terrible and tragic loss."
The Fianna Fail spokesman on law reform, Mr Willie O'Dea, condemned the "dastardly and cowardly" crime. "The hands of the gardai must be untied."
The Progressive Democrats justice spokeswoman, Ms Liz O'Donnell, expressed her own and her party colleagues' "deepest sympathies" to the families and colleagues of the two gardai.
"This appalling tragedy highlights yet again the daily risks taken by members of the Garda Siochana in execution of their duties in the face of the escalating incidence of armed and violent crime."
Her party colleague and former PD leader, Mr Des O'Malley, said he was "sickened and deeply distressed" by the news from Adare. "This was a murderous attack . . . Something like this has not happened in the Republic for quite a number of years and it is most distressing to think that we are reverting again to a situation where our police are murdered in the course of their duties by subversive terrorists. From what I hear the prime suspects for this atrocity fall into that category.
"I hope that the gardai will have early success in apprehending those responsible and charging them with a view to their conviction. If and when they are convicted and imprisoned, I hope there will be no question at any time in the future of early release for such people in aid of a so called peace process or otherwise", Mr O'Malley said.
A Labour senator, Ms Mary Kelly, said she was "shocked and saddened" by the news. "Many people still find it hard to believe that such a brutal and cold blooded shooting could actually happen on the streets of Adare.