Ahern: Murders show need for anti-gang laws

JUSTICE MINISTER Dermot Ahern said the latest gangland outrage showed the “sheer disregard for human life” in gangland circles.

Mr Ahern said the double murder – and the near death of a child – underlined the need for the anti-gang legislation he introduced last year. Speaking at an Oireachtas committee he said: “The murders in west Dublin on Monday night reveal the sheer disregard for human life and the families and loved ones of those callously gunned down.”

Mr Ahern told the Oireachtas Justice Committee that he accepted gardaí faced “severe challenges” in dealing with gangland murders: “Often they receive no cooperation from the associates of the deceased. And the general public are fearful of threats and intimidation.”