asked the Minister for Justice if he proposes to make any regulation regarding importation of imitation firearms.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imitation Firearm Imports.
17.
I have no power to make such regulations.
I understand that a number of crimes have been committed recently where people were using imitation firearms. If the Minister for Justice can not make regulations in this regard, could the Minister tell me what Minister can?
In regard to the implications of the Deputy's question that there is no law restraining the use of imitation firearms in the commission of a crime, I would refer the Deputy to the provisions of the Firearms Act, 1964, which makes it an offence to use imitation firearms for the commission of serious offences. The law is already strong in regard to this matter. The Deputy's original question related to the importation of imitation firearms and his supplementary related to the use of these. All I can say to the Deputy is that if he should have any knowledge of any undue importation of even imitation firearms he should bring it to our attention.
The point is that in the case of fireworks their importation is prohibited, and surely the Minister can prohibit the importation of imitation firearms and thereby possibly contribute to children not being brought up with a sense of violence.
I agree with the Deputy that anything which contributes to the sense of violence, as he says, is to be deplored and if imitation firearms are in that category then they will have to be controlled, but how much worse it is that there should be any suggestion coming from this House or anywhere else that what we want are more firearms or bags of guns.
The suggestion I am trying to make is quite simple. It is that not only firearms but imitation firearms should be prohibited from being imported.
Did the Deputy ever play cowboys and Indians?
I have no power to make such regulations.
Has any Minister such power?
No.
Not the Minister for Industry and Commerce?
The Minister for Industry and Commerce may have power under licensing regulations.
If the importation of fireworks can be prohibited, I cannot see how the importation of anything else cannot be prohibited.
Fireworks can cause real harm to people by exploiding, so the position is not at all analogous to imitation firearms.
It is not so long ago that on the Continent people came in with imitation firearms and got shot and killed.
Our concern should be that people are being shot by real arms illegally imported, and it would appear from the information disclosed yesterday that certain Deputies have information concerning this which they have not given to the authorities. It would be better for the Deputy to direct his concern to his colleagues rather than to imitation firearms.
Is the Minister's problem in relation to the Claudia that he did not do his job or that the Minister for Defence did not let him do his job?
Questions having been disposed of, we now proceed to the next business.
Mr. Kitt
I think you are being very precipitate in regard to questions. You are trying to rule everybody out and get the thing over quickly. There are only 18 questions today and you have hardly given us time——
We have dealt with questions. Did the Minister take No. 18?
No.
I thought you did.
On Question No. 17——
Question No. 17 has been disposed of.
You have not moved on to 18 until now. I should like to ask the Chair if it was fair of the Minister to quote an aside made by a Deputy yesterday who was not feeling well at the time and who sincerely regrets his statement today.
(Interruptions.)
Deputies over there have not been feeling well since February.