Two men questioned after fatal shooting

A DUBLIN barman was gunned down last night in a slaying which had all the hallmarks of a contract killing.

Two men in their 20s were later arrested for questioning in connection with the killing.

Gardaí were unable to establish a motive for the shooting dead of the man in his 40s, who was attacked on the Clonliffe Road in Dublin.

Two men pulled up on a motorbike and shot the man a number of times as he walked near the junction of Clonliffe Road and Clonliffe Avenue at around 5pm yesterday evening.

The victim, a local man who had a criminal conviction but was not thought to be criminally active, was taken to the Mater Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The man received a conviction for assault some years ago following a confrontation with a gang of foreign nationals who were attempting to extort cash from a city centre pub where he worked.

The scene of the shooting remained sealed off last night pending a forensic and technical examination.

The fact that a murdering gang has claimed yet another victim was further evidence of the virtual impunity with which dangerous thugs believe they can operate, Labour TD Joe Costello said last night.

“Fianna Fáil and the PDs, who have been in government since 1997, and who promised zero tolerance of crime, must accept the primary part of the responsibility for the way in which thugs have been allowed to thrive and to kill with little fear of being brought to justice,” he said.

“We have seen the emergence of a new breed of vicious criminals, who have easy access to deadly weapons and are prepared to use them. Despite some successes on the part of the gardaí, such as Operation Anvil, we are not winning the battle against the gun gangs,” Deputy Costello added.