Canadian Mounted Police and officers from the UK’s Norfolk Constabulary will back Michael McDowell’s plans for a garda reserve force later today.

GARDA chiefs are deeply concerned at the spate of gun crime which has seen five people killed in just one garda division.

Gardaí were tonight investigating a possible drugs link to the murder of a father-of-one who was shot dead in north Dublin a year and a half after a friend disappeared.