The Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan spoke earlier with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Matt Baggott.
On behalf of An Garda Síochána, he extended his deepest sympathies on the tragic death of a young police officer in Omagh today.
Speaking this evening the Garda Commissioner said:
"Our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of the young police officer whose life was taken so brutally and callously in Omagh this afternoon. Their loss is shared by the entire police family.
Tonight we in An Garda Síochána stand together with our colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Our uniforms may be woven from different cloth but the police on this island are bound together by a shared resolve and determination to bring those responsible for this senseless crime to justice."
Garda Press Office.
22:25hrs 02.04.11
