There was strong condemnation of the killing of Northern Ireland prison warden David Black from all sides of the House.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said it went without saying that the House stood united in condemnation of Mr Black’s callous murder. “I do hope that the perpetrators of his murder are brought before the courts and that justice will be done and be seen to be done,” he added.

“We do not want a return to this kind of callous tragedy.”

Mr Kenny said all the State’s agencies would be at the disposal of the PSNI and the Northern Ireland authorities.

Fianna Fáil spokesman on health Billy Kelleher said it was important to put on the record of the House its heartfelt sympathy for members with the Black family.

It was “a heinous, callous crime”, he said, adding that it behoved everybody in the House to reject out of hand the flawed philosophy of violence and murder.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said he had condemned the killing in the North as soon as it became known.