Labour attacks McDowell over gun gangs

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell seems more preoccupied with battling prison officers over overtime than the fight against gun gangs, Labour's Tommy Broughan claimed today.

Following the shooting dead of a man on the outskirts of Dublin, Labour's justice spokesman Tommy Broughan claimed criminals were shooting people without any fear.

He called on the minister and Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy to review the resources given to tackling such crimes.

The Dublin North East TD said: “The gangland style killing of a man near Clonee, Co Meath, this morning – the second such killing within 48 hours and the fourth this month – provides further alarming evidence that the gun gangs are back and operating with impunity.

“With just a third of the year gone, there have already been eight gangland type murders so far this year, matching the entire total for the full year of 2004.

“What is of equal concern is that there appears to be relatively little risk of those responsible being arrested and brought to justice.

“Recent figures I obtained from the Minister for Justice show that fewer than one in six of murder cases in which guns were used over the past seven years resulted in convictions in the courts.”

Gardaí were today hunting a four-man gang who escaped after being pursued by an off-duty garda following the early morning shooting in Clonee.

The victim was sitting in a car in the Little Place Road at about 4am when he was ambushed. The man, who was in his thirties, was struck several times in the head and upper body.

He was taken to the James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown but died at 5.30am.

On Thursday, Hughie McGinley was shot dead in a van in Grattan Street in Sligo town centre after a pillion passenger on a motorbike opened fire on him.

Mr Broughan said today official figures showed that of the 75 murders in which guns were used between 1998 and 2004, proceedings were initiated in 26 cases and convictions were secured in just 12.

The crime figures earlier this month also showed a 12% increase in the number or crimes in which firearms were discharged.

He continued: “Unfortunately the Minister for Justice seems totally preoccupied with his personal battle with the Prisoner Officers Association and the struggle against the criminal gangs appears to have been allowed to slip way down the ministerial agenda.

“A conviction rate for gun murders of fewer than one in six should never be acceptable in any civilised society.

“There is a need for the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner to review the resources available to the Gardai for the investigation of crimes of this nature.

“Despite all the promises, there has been a net increase in garda numbers of less than 250 since this Minister. Society must take a stand against those who order and carry out such murders.”