Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I offer my sincere sympathy and that of the Government to the family of Shane Geoghegan and to all his relatives and friends. This was an appalling murder which showed a contempt for the value of human life on a scale that reminds us, as in previous murders, of the wanton killing certain people are prepared to perpetrate in our community. It will be met with the full force of the law, within the law. Quite rightly, significant legislative proposals have been enacted with the support of the House in every effort to provide, at the request of the Garda during the period referred to by the Deputy, whatever powers it deemed fit. That will continue.

In the discussion between the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and myself this morning, the Commissioner confirmed he will continue to lead the Garda in the fight against those who perpetrated such an act, the full rigours of the law and resources available to him will continue to be applied and no stone will be left unturned to bring to justice those who perpetrated this callous crime.

I assure the House that, in every way possible, the Government will provide whatever assistance it can to the Garda and we will rely on the advice and judgment of the Commissioner and his police officers in that effort. The Commissioner is with the investigating team this evening and he will be available to the press to give the operational details of how the Garda will continue to deal with this threat and, specifically, with those who perpetrated this heinous crime. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I indicated our preparedness to do whatever we can to assist in any way it asks us to in addition to the powers available to it currently. The Garda Commissioner pointed out the powers made available to it enables it to continue the fight against organised crime through the setting up of the organised crime unit, the continuation of Operation Anvil and the provision of all resources necessary to deal with this as a priority in terms of what the Garda does. He has our full support in that effort.

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