Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Shooting Incidents.

Alan M. Dukes

Ceist:

122 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of occasions during the past 12 months on which individuals have died or suffered injury here as a result of a shooting; the location of each such incident; and the action which is being taken to reduce the number of such incidents. [22306/01]

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

938 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of occasions during the past 12 months in which individuals have died or suffered injury here as a result of a shooting; the location of each such incident; and the action which is being taken to reduce the number of such incidents. [22286/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 938 together.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that for the period 1 October 2000 to 30 September 2001 the number of murders recorded where a firearm was used is seven. I am further informed that, of this total, three have been detected and four remain under investigation. I am also informed that the seven murders took place in the seven Garda divisions of Limerick, Dublin west, Louth/Meath, Cork city, Dublin south, Laois/Offaly and Tipperary. Statistics on the number of injuries suffered as the result of shooting are not readily available and their compilation would require a disproportionate amount of Garda time and resources.

As the Deputy will appreciate, murder may involve a considerable range of motivations and this makes it extremely difficult to identify clearly defined patterns to which preventative measures may be directed. However, I can inform the Deputy that, subject to a few exemptions as provided for in the Firearms Acts, 1925 to 2000, a person may not hold a firearm unless such possession is authorised by a firearm certificate granted in accordance with the provisions of the Acts. A very restrictive policy is in operation with regard to the holding of such weapons and the use of pistols, air-pistols, revolvers, handguns and stunguns is totally prohibited.

Question No. 123 answered with Question No. 97.