The Serious Crime Review Unit was launched last week as part of a major package aimed at modernising the gardai and making the force more accountable.

The cold case unit has already been in operation for several months and is currently assessing which of over 200 unsolved murders since 1980 should be prioritised.

The Sunday Tribune understands that detectives have identified "several" murders they are confident can be solved relatively quickly.

Sources say the unit should be in a position to arrest individuals in at least two cases over the coming months.

Garda management is confident the unit will be successful in using new DNA techniques and other recent technological advances to close unsolved murder cases.

However, many of the unsolved killings are gangland and terrorist related so it is less likely that these cases will be brought to successful conclusions.

Investigators are unwilling to reveal what murders will initially be given priority but it is likely that high-profile cases such as Raonaid Murray and Sophie Toscan Du Plantier will be re-examined.

The unit is attached to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and is being headed by Detective Superintendent Christy Mangan.

There are currently eight detectives assigned to investigate cold cases and they will be trained in the UK and Germany.

Outgoing Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has outlined a number of new initiatives aimed at giving gardai specialist skills and making them more accountable.

Officers will be trained in interviewing young victims of sexual assaults and new forensic collision investigators will also be trained to investigate road accidents.

The appointment of 21 new detective inspectors, as well as dedicated senior investigation officers, is aimed at making each senior detective answerable for his or her own district.

Many of the new initiatives have been recommended by the Garda Inspectorate and aim to prepare gardai for the changes in crime trends that have taken place in this country over the last fifteen years.

A new centre of excellence will be developed at the training college in Templemore, CoTipperary where it is envisaged that police forces from across Europe will meet to share international best practices to deal with crime.