Gardaí and PSNI will work together closely, says Murphy

The Garda Commissioner has said detectives from south of the border will meet regularly with their counterparts in the North to bring the dissident republicans behind the three recent murders to justice.

Speaking after a meeting with the North's Chief Constable Hugh Orde at PSNI headquarters this afternoon, Fachtna Murphy said they would also work together to prevent other attacks.

Commissioner Murphy expressed his condolences to the widow, family and colleagues of Constable Stephen Carroll, who was gunned down on Monday night.

“I spoke with Sir Hugh on Monday evening when I received the news about Constable Carroll to express my condolences to both the family and the Police Service and to assure him of our continued support in tackling and frustrating this small group of criminals," he said.

“An attack on any police officer is an attack on the whole of society.

“Cooperation between both police forces on this island has been growing steadily and surely over recent years.

“Operationally both uniformed officers and detectives meet regularly to address a range of criminal activity and community safety issues. That determination extends into dealing with the current threat from terrorist criminals.”

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams held a meeting with Taoiseach Brian Cowen in Dublin today to discuss the three murders.

Mr Adams said the killings were a direct assault on the peace process and the political institutions.

“We’re particularly concerned – and I made this point directly to the British Prime Minister on Monday and to the British Secretary of State late last night - that there be no knee-jerking,” Mr Adams said.

“That we deal with these very small non-representative groupings, politically democratically and peacefully.”

Mr Adams said the killings were a cause of concern, but added that politicians in the North were united and represented the popular will.

“While there is always cause for concern, I think we can be confident that those of us who want change and peace, and a united Ireland for that matter, peacefully and democratically, that we will prevail,” he said.