Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2014
344. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if crime statistics are quoted when referring to legally held firearms being put forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46187/14]
View answer346. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on comments made regarding the review of the firearms licensing proposals (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46192/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 344 and 346 together.
I take it the Deputy is referring to the following passages from my Department's recently published Review of Firearms Licensing report:
"An Garda Síochána recorded 2,198 incidents involving a firearm between 2009 and February 2014. An Garda Síochána have also advised that between 2009 and 2013 there were 96 murders and one case of manslaughter recorded in which firearms were used.
In many such cases it is impossible to say (due to the fact that the firearm is often not recovered) whether the firearms used were firearms that had been licensed and subsequently stolen from their owners or whether the firearms were never in fact licensed. A total of 1,134 firearms have been reported stolen from their owners in the period 2010 to 2013 inclusive, of which 355 were stolen in 2013. A further 159 firearms have been reported lost in the same four year period, 53 of which were reported lost in 2013. The concerns of An Garda Síochána are also based in part on a forward looking assessment of the dangers of an atrocity being carried out with weapons primarily designed to kill human beings, as has unfortunately happened in other jurisdictions."
I think it is fair to say that this text from the report - which is based on information from An Garda Síochána - does not impugn law-abiding owners of licensed firearms in any way.
