Cowen condemns murder of Catholic teenager
Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen has condemned the murder of a Catholic teenager by the UDA in north Belfast last night.
In a statement released today, Mr Cowen said the "sickening" killing of 19-year-old Gerard Lawlor was a reminder of the consequences of sectarian hatred.
"Northern Ireland still has a way to travel when an ordinary person, because of his address and because he was regarded as a soft target, can be callously murdered," he said.
Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn has also condemned the murder and said it is time for all community and political leaders to tackle sectarian violence.
He said it is vitally important that the political institutions established under the Good Friday Agreement are maintained and that the police are given every assistance in dealing with street violence.
"Democratic politicians must not surrender the initiative to the sectarian gangsters and must guard against creating a political vacuum that would be exploited by the paramilitaries," Mr Quinn said.
