Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

The seriousness of this issue, involving the use on a daily basis of offensive and lethal weapons such as firearms, is not such that it can await further consultative reports and reviews. The issue is now so serious that immediate action is required. We hear on a regular basis that members of criminal gangs are in receipt of expert firearms training in Prague in the Czech Republic, where they can undergo such training without having to register or show a passport. The people in question can catch a aeroplane back and engage in the activity we see on a routine basis in gangland circles. What action has the Minister taken in conjunction with his European colleagues to deal with this matter? Does the Minister agree such behaviour is unacceptable?

See this speech in context