Mr. Nicholas Flood:

No. I understand Deputy McGrath is coming from a position of creating an environment whereby public safety is the first and foremost concern, and we agree with that completely. It is because of that agreement that we over the past number of years have worked diligently to make that the case, and that is why we have the statistics to put forward.

On the criminality aspect and the feeling of insult, I will use the example that when I was looking for sponsorship, I would send out letters to various companies and they would send back a cheque, maybe for €1,000, with a little caveat at the end asking us not to thank them but saying that we were welcome and they wished us all the best. The reason for that was the association of firearms with criminality and the idea of "If it bleeds, it leads" in press coverage. Many involved in the shooting community and shooting sports have encountered that. They have been held in that ether. They have participated and have done the best job they could in taking criminality extremely seriously in the responsibility of their ownership. None of those I know who have been involved in competitive target shooting does not take it seriously. They take it extremely seriously. It is as a result of this that the statistics are good.

I have travelled to the United States - I have been in many different countries. The Garda Síochána has done a fantastic job over the years. Nobody will take that away from them. The legislation that we have and the work that has been done by the different committees over the years have resulted in a very good environment where we can carry on with our shooting sports and at the same time keep public safety, which Deputy McGrath mentioned, to the fore in how we carry out our sport. Comparing us with the United States is not good. I have been there, and I know. I remember once borrowing a car from somebody and they said, "Listen, by the way, be careful. There are a couple of firearms of mine in the car." In that regard, there was the lackadaisical approach that Deputy McGrath mentioned. I have seen that at first hand. That is furthest from the truth in relation to us and the way in which we carry on our sport. We take it really seriously, so much so that there is stress and pressure on us in terms of the way in which we hold the firearms in our possession. I understand Deputy McGrath's point. He is correct. That should be his job.