A priest celebrating the funeral mass of Ireland's latest gun murder victim, Wayne Doherty, has told mourners crime gangs should face legislation that holds them accountable for their actions.
Fr Joe Coyne told up to 800 mourners at St Ciarán's Church, Hartstown, west Dublin, it was "scandalous and utterly unacceptable" that criminals believed they could carry guns and decide who should live and die.
"It's beyond any conventions of right and wrong that somebody would be shot brutally outside his parents' house, utterly wrong," he said of Mr Doherty's shooting dead last Saturday night.
"Our society can never give in to that kind of violence and that kind of deprivation of life."
Referring to the controversial Criminal Justice Amendment Bill, which seeks to tackle gangland crime, Fr Joyce said the reason it was before the Oireachtas was because of "issues in our society".
"People who are known to be involved in criminal activities and particularly organised violence, why shouldn't they be accountable? Why shouldn't they have to give an answer and to be responsible for their actions?"
"It's complicated. Nobody wants a police State. Yet there is a decision and some wisdom needed among our legislators. There are decisions and actions needed at other levels as well; at the level of the judges and of the gardaí."
The mourners were led yesterday by Mr Doherty's wife Karen, the couple's two children Christopher (10) and Johanne (5), and Mr Doherty’s parents, John and Angela.
Mr Doherty was buried at the 11am at Mulhuddart Cemetery. His coffin was draped in the tricolour and white boxing gloves were placed in top. The remains were escorted from the church by a guard of honour.
Mr Doherty was shot in the upper body at 11.30pm last Saturday outside his parents' home at Oakview Way, Hartstown. His brother and sister witnessed the attack.
Gardaí believe the shooting is linked to a row in a pub in Clonee, Co Meath, after a christening service earlier on Saturday.
Gardaí believe they know the identity of those involved. The suspected gunman and others believed to have been in the cars are being sought.
