Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the chief superintendent and his colleagues. This is a very interesting engagement. I differ from Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn. The reason we do not have a gun culture similar to that in America is we have a largely unarmed police force. Ireland is probably unique in that regard or among the few countries that have an unarmed police force.

I fully support the recommendations made. I recommend that the committee write to the Minister in support of the recommendations of An Garda Síochána without exception. That said, I am taken aback, as is Deputy Finian McGrath and I am sure others, that there are 200,000 licensed firearms in the country. Is it possible to get a county by county breakdown? How many of the firearms are connected with gun clubs or are these weapons counted separately? Are guns predominantly held in rural areas?