Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The reason I put down this question about firearms is that, a number of months ago, Deputy Declan Breathnach introduced me to a postmistress from a post office in County Louth who had been through an extremely harrowing experience when she was subjected to a raid on the post office, not once, but twice. I am sure the Minister will agree that offences which are committed with the use of firearms are astonishingly serious. They are distinguished from other criminal offences where individuals on the spur of the moment may not involve themselves in a premeditated act, although they involve themselves in criminality nonetheless. We need to have greater codification and increased sentences in respect of the possession of firearms.

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