This Dublin gun violence bears all the hallmarks of paramilitary involvement | Tom Clonan
Is Dublin in the grip of a vicious crime war? Two execution-style gangland murders in the space of a week - one at a crowded boxing event at a hotel in the Irish capital - have caused widespread shock and just weeks before a general election, political consternation.
Ireland's homicide rate is broadly similar to its EU neighbours. It stands at about 1.1 per 100,000 citizens on an annual basis. This is slightly higher than the UK, with a homicide rate of 0.96 per 100,000. France is slightly higher again at 1.2 persons per 100,000. Ireland's central statistics office states that a total of 1,068 Irish people died by homicide between 2004 and 2014.
Related: Dublin boxing weigh-in shooting death linked to gangland feud
Up to now, Irish criminal gangs have typically used small caliber handguns such as Glock automatic pistols
Related: Dublin gang wars: council advises estate residents to move out for safety
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