Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has said he will do everything in his power to bring a "small core of ruthless killers" living in Limerick city to justice.
The commissioner met Regional Assistant Commissioner Kevin Ludlow and the team of gardai investigating the murder of rugby player Shane Geoghegan in Limerick today.
Mr Geoghegan (28), who had no criminal connections, was gunned down just yards from his home in Dooradoyle on Sunday by men who are believed to have mistaken him for a drug dealer living in the area.
Speaking during his visit to Limerick, Mr Murphy urged the local community to help gardai with the investigation and assured the public that the witness protection programme would be considered, if necessary.
“If it’s necessary and if it’s important we will use the witness security programme. We will use any means within our power and within the rule of law to bring the forces of the state all to bear in dealing with this criminality,” he said.
”There is a small core of ruthless killers living in the city that have to be brought to justice,” he added.
He said a small number of "ruthless individuals who are engaged in violence, who are engaged in drug trafficking are bringing the name of the city down and the Garda Siochana will do everything in our power to stop that“.
Speaking following a meeting with the Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern this morning to discuss the escalating problem of gangland crime in Limerick, Mr Murphy expressed his sympathy to the Geoghegan family and re-stated the commitment of the Garda to policing in the Limerick area.
Today's meeting with Mr Murphy was specifically requested by Mr Cowen and took place in his office in Government Buildings before today's Cabinet meeting. Mr Cowen was fully briefed on the murder, the main figures on Limerick's organised crime scene and on the Garda's responses.
Mr Cowen told the Dáil no stone would be left unturned to bring to justice those who have perpetrated "this callous crime". He told the House that in every way possible the Government would provide whatever assistance it could to An Garda Siochána and would rely on the advice and judgment of the Commissioner.
Opposition parties have strongly criticised the Government, saying it needs to act more decisively in introducing tough new measures to deal with Limerick's feuding gangs.
Labour's Jan O'Sullivan TD, from Limerick, said the murder was "shocking beyond belief". She called for the introduction of long-promised legislation allowing electronic surveillance to be used to secure convictions.
Fine Gael's Michael Noonan TD said he had known three generations of the Geoghegan family and the city was "absolutely appalled" at the killing. He said the sworn evidence of a senior Garda officer should be sufficient to secure a conviction for gang membership.
Lord mayor of Limerick John Gilligan was also critical of the Government's response to the problem of gangland crime in the city.
"We look for a dedicated unit solely tasked to take on these gangs and we've been looking for that for years and instead we get some kind of a roadshow...that is not what we ask for, we need people who will solely take on these gangs and get rid of them," said Mr Gilligan.
Mr Ahern described Mr Geoghegan's murder as "an absolutely awful crime committed by scum". He insisted gardaí had sufficient resources and adequate legislation, noting Garda numbers in Limerick had increased by 11 per cent this year to 625 members. CCTV had been installed in many housing estates and the Emergency Response Unit and new Regional Support Unit had also been deployed.
"At the end of the day, all the technology and all the resources will not better the information that the ordinary general public can bring. And there are people who know these scum in their society. I would appeal for them to come forward."
Up to nine shots were fired at Mr Geoghegan as he tried to run from the gunman to his home just yards from where he was killed. He had spent Sunday at a friend's house nearby watching the Ireland-Canada rugby game.
The Garryowen rugby player, who was engaged to be married, was wounded three times in the upper body and once in the head. Gardaí believe the killer was waiting for a member of the Keane-Collopy crime gang but mistook Mr Geoghegan for the intended victim. The gang in question has been involved in a long-running drugs feud with the McCarthy-Dundon gang in the city.
Garda sources said it is most likely one gunman was involved and believe a second man drove the dark-coloured Renault Espace getaway car, which was found burned out at Rossbrien on Sunday morning.
Mr Geoghegan's family and friends are holding a private wake tonight. He will be buried in Mungret cemetery tomorrow after requiem mass in St Joseph's Church at 11am.
More than 50 gardai, including members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation are investigating the murder, which sparked public revulsion in Limerick and beyond. The Limerick Leader newspaper has opened a book of condolences on its website.
There will be a minute's silence before the Ireland v New Zealand rugby international in Croke Park this Saturday as a mark of respect for Mr Geoghegan, the IRFU said. The organisation will be represented at the funeral by its president John Lyons.