asked the Minister for Justice if he will arrange for the return of detained property by the Gardaí to a person (details supplied) in County Louth who was arrested in 1985.
Written Answers. - Return of Seized Property.
204.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the property referred to in the question consists of two firearms — a rifle and a shotgun — an ammunition belt and ammunition, a large knife and a scabbard. The shotgun and the knife were used by their owner in the hijacking of a taxi on 25 May 1985 and the shotgun was discharged in the course of that incident. Following the arrest of the owner, the above-mentioned weapons were seized by the Garda. He subsequently pleaded guilty to five separate counts in relation to this incident — hijacking of a motor car, possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life, false imprisonment of the taxi driver, possession of a shotgun for an unlawful purpose and malicious damage to a motor car.
He has since been notified by the Garda authorities, pursuant to section 6 of the Firearms Act, 1925, as substituted by section 8 of the Firearms Act, 1964, that he is not considered a fit and proper person to hold a firearms certificate and that he must therefore arrange for the lawful disposal of the firearms. If he does not do so within the prescribed period they may be sold or destroyed by the Garda. In the meantime, as required by the legislation, custody of the firearms in question is being retained by the Garda. A sum of money which had been received by the Garda from the person concerned in respect of fees for firearms certificates for which he applied, has been returned to him.
An application has been made by the Garda to the District Court for the disposal of the other items mentioned above under the Police (Property) Act, 1897.