The murder of Det Garda, Jerry McCabe and the serious wounding of Det Garda Ben O'Sullivan brought home that gardai risk their lives so we can go about our day to day business peacefully" the Minister for Justice said yesterday.

At the official opening of the new £640,000 Garda district; headquarters at Bruff, Co Limerick Mrs Owen, who later laid the foundation stone at Limerick Prison for a new £3 million block, expressed outrage at the recent desecration of Det Garda McCabe's grave.