The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen has extended the Government's condolences to the family of Mr Anthony Higgins who was killed in Saudi Arabia yesterday.
The 63-year-old Irish civil engineer was shot dead in Riyadh when at least two men armed with machine guns stormed the office of the Saudi-owned Rocky for Trade and Construction company where Mr Higgins was working.
A Western diplomat was quoted by news agency AFP as saying Mr Higgins had been shot a total of four times in the head and chest.
Mr Cowen issued a statement this evening saying: "I want to extend, on my own behalf and that of the Government, my most sincere condolences to the family of Anthony Higgins. My thoughts are with them at this tragic time."
A cold-blooded attack of this sort, on a civilian worker such as Mr Higgins, is repugnant and shocking, and will be perceived so internationally. I expect that the Saudi authorities will do everything in their power to bring his killers to justice."
While there was no clear information last night on the motive for the killing, there was strong speculation that it was the latest in a series of killings by Saudi militants linked to al-Qaeda.
Mr Higgins is the second Irishman shot dead in Saudi Arabia in two months.
On June 6th, Simon Cumbers (36), a BBC cameraman, was shot and killed while filming a militant's family home in Riyadh.
About 1,200 Irish people work in the kingdom. The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Irish people not to undertake non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia, and has also urged Irish residents to take security measures because of recent attacks.
The Department's website warns Irish citizens to "keep a low profile" when in Saudi Arabia.
Mr Higgins was a native of Galway City, and grew up in the Mervue area. He is survived by his wife Joan and two children.
His sister is well-known poet Rita Ann Higgin and his brother Joe is the chairman of Galway airport while another brother, Mairtín, is the manager of the Mervue United soccer team.