Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 215: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the breakdown of figures for the surrender of weapons under the current weapons amnesty; his views on the success of the weapons amnesty to date; if he has satisfied himself regarding the rate at which weapons are being surrendered; if he is confident that predicted targets will be met if the current rate continues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31493/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities that in the first four weeks of the Weapons Amnesty, which commenced on the 1st September, 2006, 124 guns, 34 knives and 34 assorted offensive weapons were handed in to Garda Stations throughout the country. In addition, a quantity of ammunition has also been surrendered. The amnesty runs for a period of 2 months, from 1st September to 31st October, 2006, and I am confident that weapons will continue to be surrendered to the Gardaí while the amnesty lasts.

My Department has engaged in an extensive advertising campaign to promote the amnesty. This includes the production of 20,000 information leaflets for distribution through Garda stations throughout the country, a media advertising campaign in the national and provincial newspapers together with an extensive billboard advertising campaign. The media advertising campaign will run for the duration of the amnesty and this campaign will be augmented in the latter stage with a nationwide billboard campaign, involving over 200 sites throughout the country, which will run from the 9th October to the 22nd October.