Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I think every member of the committee would agree that it is a large number of weapons.

It is being proposed that shotguns containing more than three rounds would be banned and on the face of it, that proposal is entirely understandable. However, the gun club representative organisation makes the point that the semi-automatic shotguns that are out there are designed with a five shot magazine capacity, with a restriction fitted or applied to reduce the capacity to three rounds. During the forthcoming consultation process we will have to try to find a compromise position that takes into account the understandable and legitimate security concerns, particularly in the context of weapons for military or police use. I think the public understands that it is not desirable for such weapons to be in the hands of anyone other than the military or the police. How will that scenario be dealt with?