‘Hunt for garda killers will be slow and difficult’

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan has said nobody should underestimate “just how difficult” the hunt for Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe’s killers will be.

He said the investigation will be “quite slow and quite painstaking” and appealed to an outraged public to give detectives “some space” to carry out their inquiries.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter said the five-man gang involved in the murder in Co Louth were not “operating in a vacuum” and appealed to those with information to come forward.

Garda Donohoe, shot dead by raiders at Lordship Credit Union last Friday night, was buried on Wednesday in a State funeral attended by more than 4,000 people, including 2,000 uniformed gardaí.

The murder hunt entered a new phase following the funeral and senior officers have drawn up a blueprint for the mammoth inquiry.

Commissioner Callinan said some of the media reports suggesting definite suspects had been identified and were due to be arrested were “inappropriate” and didn’t do justice to the investigation.

“It is important we be allowed some space to get on with the very serious business and catching these people and bringing them to justice,” he said.

“We are making steady progress. Everything we do is designed to bringing matters to a successful conclusion and that involves gathering all the available intelligence but more importantly gaining and hopefully acquiring all the available evidence that is out there, and that can be quite slow and quite painstaking. We are not going to rush this investigation.”

Asked was he hopeful charges would be brought, the commissioner said: “I am always optimistic, that’s the object of the exercise to bring these people before the courts, but no one, including myself, is underestimating just how difficult that process will be.”

He said there would be many obstacles to be overcome, adding: “It won’t be our fault if we don’t bring the perpetrators to justice”.

Mr Callinan said there would be no difference in terms of the investigation’s scale compared to that of the Veronica Guerin probe.

“As with Veronica Guerin it was a collegiate effort of many, many hundreds members of Garda Síochána. There are huge resources; all the resources that the State can deploy are being utilised in this investigation. No stone will be left unturned. That work will continue unabated and resources will not be an issue.”

He said all the national units and specialist units were involved in the investigation, assisting the local team. “We have very, very good people working on this case, very, very committed and dedicated people.”

Mr Shatter urged people with information to contact gardaí: “There are husbands, wives, sons, daughters, neighbours, friends who must know the individuals engaged in this. They’re not five people operating in a vacuum and I would again urge the general public to make contact with the gardaí or PSNI in providing any information.”