The Minister for Justice has said that those behind an arson attack in which a four-year-old boy and his grand-aunt were killed will be brought to justice.
Tadhg Farrell and 60-year-old Mary Holt were killed in the blaze which occurred at a terraced house in Castleview Park in Edenderry on Saturday evening.
Minister Jim O'Callaghan said gardaí will "relentlessly" pursue those responsible for this "murderous attack".
He said it was "an attack that was designed to kill the inhabitants" of the house.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, the minister said he was aware that one line of inquiry is that the attack was carried out by an organised criminal gang involved in the drugs trade in the Midlands.
If that is the case, he said, "it just confirms that drugs are destroying societies and people who get involved in drugs need to know that they will wreak devastation, not just on themselves, but on those close to them and families in the area."
Gardaí are working to identify suspects for the attack, in which another woman, aged in her 50s, was seriously injured.
She is being treated at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore.
Gardaí described the incident as a "callous, reckless and a murderous attack on a family home".
One line of investigation is that the attack may have been carried out by an organised criminal gang involved in the drugs trade in the Midlands
However, Ms Holt and Tadhg were innocent and it is understood the house may have been targeted in a case of drug debt intimidation.
It is believed that a petrol bomb was thrown in the front window of the house sometime before 8pm on Saturday.
Post-mortem examinations were carried out by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster yesterday afternoon.
The scene remains sealed off today, as further technical and forensic examinations continue.
Castleview Park is a long established housing estate close to the town.
Independent Ireland Councillor Fergus McDonnell called on local people to support gardaí and come forward with any information about the attack.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said: "I'd ask people to support the gardaí with any information they have or may have, whether it be dash cam footage or word of mouth information, to pass that on to the gardaí and to make sure that these people are brought to justice and face the full rigors of the law."
Mr McDonnell said people are very cautious and nervous following the attack.
Drugs are the scourge of society worldwide, he said, and there are drugs in every town and village throughout Ireland.
He said that people in Edenderry have been calling for a 24-hour garda presence in the town for some time and called on the Minister for Justice to deliver on commitments to increase garda presence throughout the country.
