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The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D. today outlined his proposals to ban licensed handguns. The Minister said the handgun ban would be included in legislation currently being prepared which will be published shortly.

Minister Ahern said: “Since being appointed, I have made clear my growing concern at the number and type of handguns being licensed".

“From  the  early  1970s,  in  the  light  of the Troubles, until 2004, all handguns  were  banned  in  this  jurisdiction.  But  following a series of judicial  decisions that is no longer the case and about 1800 handguns have been  licensed.   There  was  no public policy decision to bring about this situation.

“I am mindful of comments made by Mr. Justice Charleton in his judgement in a recent firearms case that a reasonable person is entitled to feel alarmed at  the  proliferation  of  handguns.  My concern is that unless strong and decisive  action  is  taken the number of handguns could grow exponentially and  our  firearms  regime  would  equate  to that of countries such as the United States. Today we have 1800 legal handguns – in three years time that number could exceed 4,000 and rising.

“This  is  completely  unacceptable.  While  I  know  the  vast majority of licensed  gun  owners  behave responsibly, my paramount concern must be the protection  of the public, particularly against the background of the level of gun crime which is taking place.”

Some time ago the Minister directed his Department and An Garda Síochána to carry  out  an  urgent and intensive review of the firearms law.  Proposals arising   from  that  review  will  be  reflected  in  a  Criminal  Justice (Miscellaneous) Provisions  Bill  which  is  being prepared as a matter of urgency and which the Minister will bring forward shortly.

His proposals for radical reform in this area include

no new licences will be issued for handguns.

existing licenses will not be renewed unless applications fully meet

the requirements of a radically tightened licensing  procedure where the safety of   the community will be paramount the Minister will keep under annual review, in consultation with the Garda Commissioner, the outcome of the licensing  procedure and, if the outcome of that procedure leaves a situation which still poses an unacceptable risk to the community, will use new powers, which the Bill will contain, to ban outright any type of firearm.

The  Bill will provide for the revocation of any handgun licenses which may be  issued  between  now  and  the  enactment  of the legislation and it is intended  that anyone applying for a handgun license in that period will be informed of that fact.

The  Minister  is  prepared  to make very limited exceptions in relation to Olympic sports only.

 The  Minister  considers that his proposals will not cause inconvenience to the vast majority of gun owners, who have had no interest in acquiring hand guns.

The Minister said "While I regret the need for these proposals, the reality is  that  if  we  were  subject to a Dunblane type incident or stolen legal handguns  were used to kill innocent civilians the present situation, which has not arisen as the result of any policy decision, would be impossible to justify."

19 November 2008