Gangsters need to be taken out

THE disclosure that a gunman fired six shots into a house containing young children shows once again those involved in gang crime have no regard for life.

It mattered not to those who carried out this callous and reckless act whether the youngsters were killed or wounded by their bullets.

While innocent Charlie Cooper is lucky to be alive after being hit multiple times by a gunman firing through a window of his home, it is also a miracle his children weren’t in the line of fire.

After a few years when gangland killings had subsided it appears they are again on the up and are able to mount murder attempts whenever.

In recent months there has been an upsurge in gang violence and it is becoming increasingly clear the authorities are losing the war on crime.

It is a sad reflection on Irish society that more than 20 years after the murder of Veronica Guerin the criminals are again getting the upper hand.

The Kinahan cartel has become a law unto itself and can protect its turf and take out rivals.

At the same time there are reports other gangs are emerging which may be trying to muscle in on the lucrative drugs trade, especially in Dublin.

There can be little doubt the Kinahans and other established criminal groups will not allow these new outfits to go unchallenged with the potential for an all-out gang war on the streets.

If gardai are to operate to their full effectiveness they must be fully resourced and manned.

Good policing does not come cheap but a failure to invest and upgrade the force will give the gangsters the edge and lead to more murders.