The gangland subculture which existed in Dublin has largely been broken up thanks to the efforts of gardaí in the city, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said.
He made his comments on the day after the country's latest gangland killing, which claimed the life of Dublin criminal Paul Cunningham (23) in the early hours of Sunday in Mulhuddart.
Mr McDowell said the murder was not evidence of new energy in gangland crime in Dublin. On the contrary, such activity had dissipated. Participants were on the back foot under huge Garda pressure. Many had been arrested and others had fled the country. Gardaí were doing a wonderful job.
"I don't believe there is new energy in crime in Dublin, I believe that it is to some extent the sting of the dying wasp."
The number of murders in Ireland was lower this year compared to last year and, if things went on the way they were, there would be a very significant reduction in the number of murders in 2004 compared to 2003, he said.
"The other point I wanted to make in relation to people such as Mr Cunnigham is whatever the background of a victim of murder, just as there is nobody above the law in our society, there is nobody beneath the protection of the law and the gardaí will investigate that very, very carefully," the Minister said.
Mr McDowell had been assured by senior gardaí that Operation Crossover - set up in west Dublin two weeks ago to target known criminals - was adequately resourced.