McDowell rejects inadequate policing claim

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell today rejected claims he was failing to provide adequate community policing in the wake of another gangland-style killing in west Dublin.

As detectives hunted for the killer of Mark Glennon (32) - shot dead outside his home in Blanchardstown yesterday evening - Mr McDowell said never before had so many gardaí and resources been deployed in the area.

Mr Glennon was a known drug dealer and had been involved in a dispute with another drugs gang from west Dublin. Dublin West Labour TD Joan Burton accused the Minister of "complacency" in the face of a series of killings and shootings in the area.

Ms Burton said: "Despite the promises of the Minister over the last year that various Garda operations, such as Operation Anvil, would solve the problem of gun crime in west Dublin, the killing of Mr Glennon in broad daylight confirms again that gun criminals can act with impunity on the suburban streets of Dublin 15."

Ms Burton said: "Dublin 15 remains completely under policed. The Minster has failed to provide adequate community policing, particularly to those estates where the drug trade and criminal gangs operate.

"There appears to be some notion that if they deaths and shootings involve alleged participants in drugs and other crime that the implications for the rest of society are limited," she said.

Mr McDowell said every request by the Garda Commissioner for more police had been met.

He claimed Operation Anvil was showing tangible results and that the upcoming Criminal Justice Bill would give gardaí increased powers of investigation. Mr McDowell claimed that Garda numbers fell when Labour were last in Government.