Mr. Fergus Healy:

There are 187 assault-type rifles licensed within the jurisdiction. When we receive an application for a gun licence of that nature, we have to assess the gun first and decide who is an appropriate person to be licensed to hold that weapon. We must consider whether it is a matter for a chief superintendent or a superintendent and whether it is a restricted or unrestricted weapon. The definition provided for in the Act states that if it resembles an assault rifle, it is an assault rifle. The interpretation has to be taken from that provision.

It is important to say that unlike rifles, the 2009 legislation, when introduced, limited the number of restricted handguns on issue because unless one had a restricted handgun licence prior to 2009, one could not apply for one. However, that is not the case in respect of rifles. I can go out tomorrow and buy a restricted assault rifle and have it licensed within the jurisdiction. While the concern may be prescribed in the Act in regard to handguns, the same provision does not apply in respect of assault rifles.

Another important point to note is that when the Garda Síochána is investigating shooting incidents and if people are murdered or wounded as a result of the discharging of firearms, forensic tests are carried out on bullets removed from bodies or injured people. There are forensic systems in place whereby those who analyse those bullets can tell whether a particular bullet has come from a particular gun. The problem is that if the gun is stolen, we do not know where it is and unless we get it, we cannot say it is from that particular weapon. When one has both, one can make the comparison. If one only has one, one does not have the other piece of the jigsaw.