Mr. Diarmuid Cronin:

I am not familiar with the incident the Deputy mentioned but believe it is completely and utterly against our ethos. Ours is not a vigilante organisation; we have no hand, act or part in that practice. We will not support or give any approval for any act such as that described. It is completely the opposite of what we repeat constantly at meetings, namely, that one must not get involved. One should observe and report. Individuals who take the law into their own hands, such as those referred to, are certainly not following our ethos. They are putting themselves and their families in danger.

A discussion that crops up now and again but which has enjoyed greater impetus lately concerns the business of taking out a gun and confronting individuals. Once again, that is completely and utterly against the ethos that Muintir na Tíre and Community Alert have been preaching over the years. It is foolish to the point of being foolhardy. Individuals who pick up a gun thinking they are going to confront raiders on their property by firing a warning shot are, in the first instance, going to create two victims: the guy they fire at and themselves. A week later, they are going to be looking over their shoulder wondering when retribution is going to come, and their families are going to be doing so also. What happens if the gangs fire back? What happens if the gangs begin to arm themselves? It leads to chaos. We have a policing record since the foundation of the State in which guns have not been a factor, and there is no need for them to be introduced now. For any farmer or householder to fire warning shots or otherwise is foolishness to the point of being ridiculous.