Put end to recent spate of violence

YET again, Ireland finds itself mopping up the consequences of brutal violence on our streets and in our homes.

Two more men were killed as the grisly death toll since mid-may heads towards a dozen.

Senior gardai can reassure us they are on top of the murder probes but after the violent weekend deaths it will take more than words to reassure the public Ireland is a safe society.

Two weeks after his death, no one has been arrested over the murder of Cameron Reilly, the student strangled to death in a field.

We have also had the horrific murder of Jastine Valdez at the hands of psycho Mark Hennessy and a boy of 13 has been charged over the death of 14-year-old Anatasia Kriegel.

And last week during a morning training session, innocent Bobby Messett was blasted to death in a gym run by Katie Taylor’s father.

Senior gardai can not argue that these, and other violent deaths in the past four weeks, follow the normal course of criminal behaviour. They have been exceptionally violent.

At the funerals of those who have had their lives robbed from them, we routinely hear about the lack of respect for human life.

The Church has got the true message across: life is becoming cheaper and more disposable.

The only thing we can do is legislate for proper jail terms and send out the message, “If you take a life, you should not be at liberty once you lose yours”.