Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am using the United States as an example because I do not want this country to ease up on regulation and go down that road. Whether the witnesses like it or not, there is an opinion that some within their associations would like us to ease up on regulation. I am putting down a marker. It was stated that 13,935 handguns are available in the North. At the height of the Troubles, and even after, many people in the North had major concerns about the more than 13,000 legally held handguns. Whether they are legal or illegal, they are handguns. I know friends of mine, who are in the minority community in the North, have always been concerned about these thousands of legally held handguns in case there was ever an incident which spilled into violence. We must be strong on regulating the legal availability of guns. Will the witnesses ensure public safety is the priority?