IRELAND’S burgeoning gun culture needs to be combated with a beefed-up witness protection programme, Labour last night insisted.

ONLY three out of ten gun murders over the last nine years have resulted in charges being brought before the courts, new figures show.

A WITNESS Protection Programme needs to be established on a formal basis — Labour leader Pat Rabbitte yesterday urged the Government to legislate on this.

The Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed the appeal by Brian Meehan against his conviction for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin 10 years ago.

A man on trial for murder allegedly named the two gunmen he drove to and from the shooting of Limerick man, Eddie Ryan Senior, a Central Criminal Court jury has heard.

A garda detective has denied that a man on trial for the murder of Limerick man, Eddie Ryan Snr, was offered a place on the Witness Protection Programme if he turned state witness.

The Special Criminal Court was told today that two former protected witnesses are outside the jurisdiction and unavailable to give evidence at the hearing of an application to confiscate assets of a convicted drugs dealer.

State supergrass John Dunne has told the Special Criminal Court about a war waged by those on the Witness Protection Programme against the Department of Justice.