Cliched Cowen fires blanks in war against murderous gun gangs
Brian Cowen said “no stone would be left unturned” in the hunt for the killers of Shane Geoghegan, but in reality no cliche was left untouched during Leader’s Questions as a weary looking Taoiseach responded to outrage over the slaying.
The latest innocent, indiscriminate victim of Ireland’s burgeoning gun culture received the same, lame promises of action delivered in the aftermath of every other such murder that has blighted this country in the past five years.
We heard depressingly similar platitudes after the horrifically callous murder of teenage apprentice plumber Anthony Campbell in December 2006, to name just one past victim.
Each murder temporarily illuminates our landscape of lawlessness in white hot heat like a lightening strike as the gun gangs are exposed for a moment, then the light fades and darkness returns to cover the cancerous growth of crime culture — until the next death, the next lightening bolt, and the next empty Dáil promise that something must be done
After leaving the chamber in awkward silence for a number of minutes by his late arrival, the Taoiseach answered questions regarding the weekend slaying, often with his head down, at times mumbling, and with his right hand in his pocket.
The weather-beaten demeanour invited the inevitable opposition accusation that he exuded an air of defeatism.
The real purpose of Mr Cowen’s high profile summit with the Garda Commissioner was left hanging as it emerged the force is entirely satisfied with its resources, its direction and the legislative framework it operates within.
So, if that is all fine then, why do so many people keep being gunned down in a hail of bullets meant for someone else?
Why do execution-style slayings take place on our streets?
Why has no one been imprisoned for membership of the murder gangs despite it being a criminal offence under section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act?
Fine Gael’s Enda Kenny branded the Government’s response: “Too bland and too easy. This is a war which the Taoiseach does not appear to be winning.”
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore went further as Mr Cowen was accused of waving the flag of defeatism. The Taoiseach was clearly stung by the charge that he and his ministers had given up.
“The house should be assured that in standing here none of us are defeatist about this issue,” he told TDs.
His voice said one thing, but, sadly, his deflated body language, and the long roll call of innocent victims of the gang war murder feuds said something very different.
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