Call for gangland Garda unit after Joan Casey death

Justice Minister Michael McDowell was urged today to set up a specialist unit to combat gangland killers following the murder of a 64-year-old grandmother in Dublin.

It is believed mother of five Joan Casey, who was shot dead yesterday by masked gunmen in her Tallaght home, may have been the mistaken victim of a gangland shooting.

Labour's justice spokesman Joe Costello said criminal gangs had “gotten completely out of control”, with mercenaries being hired to carry out killings around the country.

He said: “Hardly a week goes by without someone being murdered and now it is not just confined to cities like Dublin, Cork or Limerick but is also happening in the smaller provincial towns and cities.

“This murder has been a terrible shock because it does appear to have been a gangland shooting gone wrong which claimed the life of a good person.

“A large number of gangland killings are being carried out now by mercenary individuals and there is an increasing number of them happening in this country.

“The minister must target the individuals and gangs behind these murders by setting up a specialist Garda gangland unit.”

Mrs Casey was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom of her house in Avonbeg Park yesterday when two men wearing balaclavas burst into her home around 6.20am.

Her husband and brother were also in the house at the time.

Neighbours saw the two men fleeing the house on foot after hearing shots.

There was no indication the killers had a getaway vehicle.

Gardai and a local ambulance crew were on the scene within minutes of the shooting but the attackers had escaped.

Mrs Casey died at the scene.

Neighbours were mystified by the killing, describing her as a “living saint” and dedicated worker for her local Catholic church, St Dominic’s.

The night before her murder, she had been collecting for the parish lottery to raise funds for the church.

Sinn Féin TD Sean Crowe said the incident highlighted “the lack of police resources” in Tallaght.

Fianna Fáil TD Charlie O’Connor and Fine Gael justice spokesman Jim O’Keeffe also condemned the incident.

According to the results of a preliminary post-mortem examination, Mrs Casey died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Gardaí also confirmed today they did not believe the victim, her husband or her brother were the intended targets of her attackers.