Mr. Declan Keogh:

That was a great question Deputy Farrell asked. Much emphasis was placed on the inability of An Garda Síochána, based on the evidence given to the committee, to identify the potential for licensed firearms to be used for criminal purposes. In some cases that was due to the firearm not being recovered. However, bullets would be recovered. Rightly, there was reference to ballistic testing.

In Northern Ireland every single handgun is ballistically tested. There is no problem there with the use of lawfully held guns being used in crime. No such cases have been identified. The Garda Síochána has the ability, under the 2006 firearms Act to ballistically test the firearms we have in our possession. The opportunity to do so has never been taken. That is the answer to the Deputy’s question. In such a case the witnesses would have been able to quite categorically state that no licensed firearms were used in the particular crimes referenced. Ballistics experts in court could spend days giving evidence and claiming that my .22 pistol is a military firearm would have been better employed doing the ballistic testing on the firearms that are legally held and then they would have a database.