Mr. Desmond Crofton:

Mr. Flood has to some extent stolen my thunder. We very much appreciate the public safety consideration. It is why we have without reservation embraced all of the new provisions in terms of security and in terms of providing, for example, details of our medical practitioners. The raft of requirements in a firearms licence application is quite formidable and I can assure the Deputy we comply with them to the letter.

The United States is a bad comparison to make, for the simple reason that our legislative base is quite different. In America, every citizen has the right to bear arms. Whether or not they have been convicted of an offence, they still have the right to bear arms. There are no security requirements placed on people in the United States. They need not have them locked up in a gun safe and covered by alarms or adopt any such provisions. Our provisions are very different. It is a bad comparison to make.