TWELVE murders in Dublin since August 1994, including yesterday's killing of Veronica Guerin, bear the hallmarks of the professional "hit".
Contract killers are at work in the capital and the Garda has had little success in finding those responsible. The previous shooting of Ms Guerin at her home in north Co Dublin in January 1995 remained one of the many unsolved shooting crimes.
Most of the other murder victims were criminals or had criminal connections. A number of the attacks were as a result of personal disputes.
The Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, recently rejected the suggestion that the number of murders is growing and the rate of detection decreasing. But interpretation of the figures does not add up to a picture of fewer killings and more detection.
Central to this has been the rise in "contract" killings, the use of "hit men" to carry out murders.
The Minister has pointed out these killings are particularly difficult to solve because there is no connection between the victim and the person who carries out the murder. The kilter is hired specifically for the purpose.
In 1994 there were 25 "violent deaths". This jumped to 41 last year. By April this year, there had been 13 violent deaths, and in the eight weeks since three more people have died - Patricia Murphy in Dublin, Det Garda Jerry McCabe in Adare, Co Limerick, and Veronica Guerin in yesterday's attack in Dublin.
The rate of detection has decreased over the past two years. It was 20 out of 25 deaths in 1994 (80 per cent) and 31 out of 41 in 1995 (76 per cent).
A number of the murders may have been carried out directly by an aggrieved party, but the trend towards hired killers is growing. Some are said to be available for as little as £2,000 a job. But a more "professional" operator, or one brought in from outside, costs more.
All a hitman needs to be told is the name and address of the victim and a few of the victim's haunts. At least seven of the 12 gangland murders since the death of Martin Cahill ("The General") follow that pattern, with the victims killed while engaged in part of their daily or weekly routine.
Whoever hires a hitman will ensure they have a good alibi.
The weapon used is usually a 9 mm pistol. In all the recent killings in Dublin, the perpetrator has moved quite close to the victim. A handgun is easily concealed and offers the most flexibility and accuracy at close range. Automatic pistols usually have a magazine of between eight and 12 rounds.
Ballistics experts can point out the likelihood of particular shootings being linked, so that surveillance can be placed on particular suspects.
Illegal firearms are available to rent in Dublin at a cost of up to £100. The user will be obliged to dispose of the weapon if it has been fired and pay up to £300 in compensation to the owner.
The growth of the illegal drugs trade has coincided with an increase in the number of illegal handguns imported into the State.