21/01/2009

Ahern Rejects Attack On Tackling Crime

Following another Finglas shooting today, Fine Gael has said Minister Ahern is "letting slip law and order on our streets".

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern hit back at the claims, saying sufficient resources were being front loaded to stamp out Dublin’s organised crime gangs.

Fine Gael Justice Spokesman Charlie Flanagan attacked the Justice Minister's track record on serious crime, accusing him of allowing cold-blooded killings to become commonplace on the capital's streets.

"Cold blooded shootings on the streets of Dublin are now tragically commonplace. Murder and attempted murder causes less and less revulsion in the minds of our citizens.

"This is a very disturbing state of affairs to have arrived at. How many people will have to be murdered before this Minister even begins to take the remedial action required to address the issue."

However, Mr Ahern rebuked the claims, saying: "The latest spate of gun attacks are dastardly but the gardaí are winning the fight against criminals. By the end of this year, there will be a record 15,000 gardaí on the beat on the streets of our cities and towns. Tougher criminal justice legislation is also being rushed through the Dáil to pave the way for new crime-fighting measures such as covert surveillance and the establishment of a DNA database."

Todays shooting in Finglas was the second fatal gun attack this week.

(DW/BMcC)

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