Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I think the Minister has finally lost it, judging by his last comment. I recall bringing the Electoral Bill through this House, as Minister, in 1997 and the attitude of the then Opposition spokesperson and current Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell to that legislation. That is linked to the attitude of the Government, of which he is a member, to the Freedom of Information Act, in the way it has been wound back.

The lawful shooting fraternity sees this section as the Minister overturning the courts, presumably the Dunne v. Donohoe case, in a way that gives him the right, in legislation, to do as he pleases, without oversight or any need to consult those affected. The section will have an enormous impact on the recreational and personal rights of people who have always worked very hard to obey the law and live within it, the compliant taxpayers and good citizens, but will have no impact on those who break the law and abuse firearms for criminal ends who will be untouched by this provision. The legitimate shooting fraternity feels a great sense of grievance at the Minister's approach and I thought, to ameliorate this, that ensuring the guidelines are published would not be a demanding burden. The Minister thinks it is a bridge too far, since he cannot imagine letting people know what the guidelines being created effect. The Minister's case struck Deputy Jim O'Keeffe and me as most bizarre. He says that if the Commissioner wished to issue guidelines to restrict or deny a firearms certificate——

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