Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

Regarding firearms, the recently announced proliferation of handguns is totally unacceptable. We have had 1,600 more handguns licensed last year. The Minister expresses his acknowledgement and thanks to a High Court judge for reminding him of that situation. Could I remind him that we had drawn his attention to that by way of parliamentary question on 28 May and 17 June, to which we received very little by way of positive response? How is it that people are leaving this city on a fairly regular basis for cities such as Prague in the Czech Republic to receive firearms training and returning to engage in the use of firearms on a regular basis? What is the Minister doing about this? We have put this question to the Minister in the past, and to his predecessor. Where are the targets, the results and the strategy?

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