Ms Nóirín O'Sullivan:

I know the work done by this committee and I know it has recently been in communication with the Minister. I understand the Minister will respond to you in terms of the legislature and the position what will be taken there. From the point of view of An Garda Síochána we are always mindful of any type of weapons that may be used in society to cause harm to others. Our primary concern is always around public protection and protecting communities and individuals within communities. Yes, we would have concerns in terms of any violence or weapons that are used to cause harm to any individual or any community around the country. It is something that, with the Garda national drugs and organised crime unit, we monitor very closely in terms of the impact that would have and in terms of any initiatives we can take to address any of those issues.