Like my colleagues, I express my sympathy to the Henry family in Sligo and to the family of Éamon de Buitléar, whom I had the pleasure of meeting on a school tour back in 1985.

Today, however, I want to bring up the unforgivable act that resulted in the loss of life Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and the trauma inflicted on Detective Garda Joe Ryan in County Louth last week. What happened was unspeakable and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. This cowardly act, however, has focused my attention on those working in front-line services. While we have 13,500 brave gardaí on a daily basis protecting us and serving their country in highly dangerous situations, we must remember those paramedics, prison officers, fire fighters and those working in accident and emergency departments and the Civil Defence who might not have been subjected to such a barbaric act as Detective Garda Donohoe but who too often have been victims of abuse. These people are understated national heroes who go about their jobs every day all too familiar with the specific occupational hazards. They deserve our support and I will do all I can to protect those who are in harm's way because of their jobs. We must adopt a policy of zero tolerance for those thugs who threaten the very essence of what these people do. While all citizens are equal, we must prioritise the rights of some of these workers and send a strong message that we will stand up for those working in front-line services. On that basis, I am calling for a debate on the issue.

I join other Senators in sympathising with Senators Henry and Clune on the recent deaths of their mothers. I also sympathise with the de Buitléar family on the death of former Senator Éamon de Buitléar.

In particular, I join my colleagues in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the vicious and callous murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe who was a native of Kilnaleck, County Cavan. Detective Garda Donohoe and his family are highly respected in the local community around the small village. On behalf of the people of County Cavan, I extend my sympathy to his wife, two small children, parents and immediate family in Kilnaleck.

The media have used words such as "assassination", "fatally injured" and "killed", but there is only one way to describe what took place and that is "murder most foul". I condemn it in the strongest possible terms and commend the Leader for proposing to adjourn the House tomorrow after the Order of Business to allow those Members who are able to do so to attend Detective Garda Donohoe's funeral in Dundalk and show our support to his family and the Garda Síochána whose members risk their lives daily to protect the rest of us. I concur with the statement by the leader of my party that today is not the day to take this debate any further. An urgent debate on policing, particularly in rural areas, is required and the issues raised by Senator MacSharry must be addressed urgently.

Cónaím sa cheantar céanna inar dúnmharaíodh cara liom féin ar an Aoine seo caite. Fear iontach ab ea é, a chuidigh le gach duine a chónaigh in aice leis.

The murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was premeditated and planned without regard for human life. The murderers' only interest was financial gain. I know Detective Garda Joe Ryan and knew Detective Garda Donohoe perhaps a little better. He lived about six miles from my home and I had several conversations with him during the years. This morning I visited his football club on my way to sign a book of condolences to his family. The local community is devastated at having lost a great young man. Detective Garda Donohoe was a true garda and everyone recognises the part he played in the community. He won a county championship medal with Naomh Pádraig in 2003 and after his football days were over, he gave of his time after work to benefit young people at Scoil Náisiúnta Bellurgan, where my colleague, Senator Jim D'Arcy, taught for some time.

The murderers of Detective Garda Donohoe must be caught and brought to justice. They must spend the rest of their days in prison. A sentence of 40 years should not be reduced to 30 or 25 years. The Garda and PSNI will work together. A member of my family suffered at the hands of the same thugs from south Armagh when his Jeep, including equipment he needs for work, was stolen. On Friday night, as soon as I mentioned the murder of the detective garda, he told me the thugs who had carried it out were living in south Armagh. I know gentlemen from the same part of the country but the individuals in question live in south Armagh and their only interest is in robbery and thuggery. As I stated, they robbed from my family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasail.

Like my colleagues, I extend my sympathy to the Henry, de Buitléar and Donohoe families on the immeasurable grief they are going through this week.

The Donohoe family will have a person missing from the Christmas table and the children will not have a Dad at their birthday parties or for Christmas morning. Everyone in the country must be feeling as I feel about his death. It is something that should not happen again. I agree with Senator Terry Brennan's comments. I know the role the Garda has played in protecting the State since 1922. I had the personal experience as a young teenager of having gardaí protect our home against people who called themselves republicans and who were stoning our property. The gardaí had to stand and take the full force of their actions. They did it with pride and dignity, as did Detective Donohoe on Friday night. He died for his country. May he rest in peace.

I extend my sympathy to our colleague, Senator Imelda Henry, on the passing of her dear mother, and to the family of the late former Senator Éamon de Buitléar.

There is an eerie silence around Leinster House today and throughout Ireland. I extend my sympathy to the family of the deceased Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The hearts of the nation go out to the family today. This was not an accidental or panicked shooting. It was premeditated. That makes it more callous and chilling. There are people on both sides of the Border who know who were involved in this and I call on any right-thinking people who have any information to assist the Garda and the PSNI in bringing the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. I welcome the fact that the Garda and PSNI appear to be working in very close co-operation to bring about the arrest of those people as a matter of urgency. As Senator Brennan said, those people must serve the full 40 years for this crime.

All of us, as well as the security and democracy of this state, depend on the Garda Síochána being able to go about its business in a safe manner. We must applaud the courage and bravery of Detective Garda Joe Ryan who returned to work yesterday. The man had to be severely traumatised after losing his colleague, but he came to work to assist the Garda with its investigations. That showed true courage and bravery. I agree with colleagues that in the fullness of time we must have a debate on security in the State and ensure that the Garda is fully resourced at all times to do the job we expect it to do. Today, however, we share in the grief of the Donohoe family and we hope this will never be visited on another family in this country again.

I also express my sympathy to the family of our colleague, Senator Imelda Henry, and to the family of a former colleague, the late Éamon de Buitléar. Like other speakers, I express my horror at the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

It is important to remember that there are areas of this country, particularly of this city, where people walk around with impunity and where human life appears to have no value. There is not a day in the week when the gardaí do not enter no-go areas; it is a miracle, therefore, that there have been so few fatalities in the Garda Síochána.

I agree with colleagues who say we need a wider debate on this subject. It is shocking to think there are criminals - drug dealers and other forms of low life - who seem to have no difficulty whatsoever accessing firearms. We need to come back to this issue.

On a more positive note, I would like to mention the work of the Constitutional Convention last weekend and the very interesting outcomes relating to the term of the Presidency and the lowering of the voting age. The consensus among those who favoured the lowering of the voting age was to lower it to 16 years of age. There were some very interesting outcomes from the Constitutional Convention last weekend. Towards the end of the life of the Constitutional Convention towards the end of the year, it is its intention to discuss some wider issues around constitutional reform. I have long campaigned for the right to a home, for example. Will the Leader invite the chair of the Constitutional Convention, Mr. Tom Arnold, to the House and ask Members for their thoughts on the wider issues of constitutional reform which could be considered?