The Tánaiste Joan Burton says that a world without the need for a Special Criminal Court would be a world where the IRA army council does not dictate Sinn Féin policy.

Ms Burton again attacked Sinn Féin over their calls to scrap the court - saying Gerry Adams is out of touch with life in the Republic.

The Tánaiste also said that she has confidence in Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan to tackle gangland crime.

Joan Burton says we would only be in a position to scrap the Special Criminal Courts in a perfect world.

It comes after the Taoiseach Enda Kenny earlier expressed his full confidence in Commissioner O'Sullivan.

In the wake of the two gangland killings, Mr Kenny says the government has provided the resources and facilities she has requested over the past 12 months.

Speaking on the campaign trail in Co Sligo, the Fine Gael leader has also ruled out any emergency legislation to tackle gangland crime.

While the Fianna Fail leader says the government is panicking in dealing with the problem of organised crime in Dublin.

Micheal Martin was responding to the apparent u-turn by the Garda Commissioner on the issue of resources within the force.

On Monday, Commissioner O'Sullivan said resources were not a problem for the gardaí in tackling crime - while yesterday she re-assigned 55 members of the force to tackle the problem.

Speaking at the Irish Farmers' HQ in Dublin today, Mr Martin said the government has no long term plan to tackle crime.

Conor Feehan, journalist with The Herald and Independent newspapers, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast earlier. 

This morning, former Justice Minister Nora Owen told Newstalk Breakfast the country is "playing catch up" after years of cuts.