Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 1 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 2

Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.

Conor Lenihan

Question:

106 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the number of legally held firearms in the hands of members of the unionist community in the North; and his views on whether these guns should be dealt with under the demilitarisation process. [9461/99]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

107 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself regarding the number of privately held firearms fully licensed and legally held in Northern Ireland; and if he has raised this in the context of the Good Friday Agreement. [9462/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 107 together.

I can confirm that the issue of legally held weapons in Northern Ireland has been raised on many occasions with the British authorities within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference and in discussions on the implementation of the security normalisation provisions of the Good Friday Agreement.

The British authorities have stated that on 31 December 1998 there were 139,588 legally held firearms in Northern Ireland. In the Good Friday Agreement they made a commitment in the chapter on security normalisation to continued consultation on firearms regulation and control on the basis of the proposals published by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 2 April 1998. The British Government also committed itself to publishing an overall strategy for security normalisation.

The number of legally held firearms in Northern Ireland is far above the average for areas of comparable size and economic profile and I am aware that it is a matter of particular concern to the nationalist community. All aspects of the Good Friday Agreement must be implemented in full, including those relating to security normalisation. The Deputy will be aware that the Government is at present engaged in intensive discussions to this end with the British Government and the parties.