The Minister for Defence has said that gangland criminals are posing a threat to the state. Willie O'Dea was speaking after Gardaí in Limerick renewed their appeal for information on the murder of the 35-year-old father of two. Detectives want to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of the Roxboro shopping centre at the time of the attack on Thursday. They are also seeking information on a black Mercedes - registration 06 D 528010 - believed to have been used in the attack. Minister O'Dea said the Government are bringing forward legislation that will make it easier to convict the perpetrators of gangland crime. He said the fear of witnesses currently makes it very difficult to gain convictions. However, Labour TD for Limerick East Jan O'Sullivan has criticised the government for failing to bring forward legislation on the area sooner. Deputy O'Sullivan said laws to make it easy to convict gangland figures are long overdue from the Minister for Defence. She said that highly trained detectives who currently work as drivers for Government ministers should be redeployed to help tackle crime in the city. And she said there is little doubt that the recently announced recruitment embargo will have a detrimental effect in the fight against gangland figures.