Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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70. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to an investigation by the National Parks and Wildlife Service regarding the loss of high calibre weapons and ammunition from armouries in different parts of the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11715/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My Department is not aware of the loss of any high calibre weapons or ammunition from armouries and no such investigation is under way.

As part of its annual asset verification processes, my Department undertakes reviews of sensitive assets, including firearms. These are routine and standard management exercises. An annual report is currently being prepared for the Department’s Management Board with regard to the verification exercise conducted in 2016. No loss of weapons or ammunitions were identified.

The 2017 audit of such firearms has recently commenced and is being combined with an additional review of the Department’s management procedures in respect of both firearms and ammunition. The purpose of this review is to ensure that the Department’s management procedures and policies with regard to controls on firearms and ammunitions remain robust.

As the Deputy will appreciate, given the particular security considerations attached to firearms, the Department would generally not publish any details concerning the number of firearms held or their location. In the event that the Department became aware of the loss of a firearm, it would, of course, notify the relevant authorities.