Fight against crime can’t get complacent

Despite the deeply ominous appearance of masked and armed men in a funeral cortege on the streets of Dublin, with all that implies, there are welcome indications that An Garda Síochána are gaining the upper hand in the fight against organised crime.

As evidenced by today’s Irish Examiner overview of the national crime scene, the success of the Garda battle against criminal elements is particularly evident in Limerick, a city with the dubious reputation of some of the worst violence in the Republic. The picture depicted by a senior officer reveals the war is being won by the forces of law and order.

Having been victims of a vicious reign of terror, decent, law-abiding people are beginning to enjoy normal lives again, free of the dark shadow of the gun in what can best be described as a Wild West scenario. Ultimately, the seeds of violence were sown because entire communities had been shamefully neglected by the authorities.