PRESS RELEASE

13/03/2006

Gun amnesty before summer to cut gangland crime - Kelleher

Cork North-Central Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher has said a gun amnesty expected before the summer should take thousands of illegal firearms off the streets and make our communities safer.

The deputy Government chief whip was speaking after the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform,
Michael McDowell TD, confirmed that the amnesty would be in place within weeks to coincide with a strengthening of anti-gun laws under the new Criminal Justice Bill.

‘Gun amnesties have been very successful in other countries and I believe the measure would help cut the number of illegal firearms and ammunition blighting our communities. In Britain, a month-long amnesty in
2003 saw more than 43,000 weapons handed in.

‘High-profile shootings across the country have, in recent days, reminded us that the shadow of the gunman stalks our streets with impunity. Minister McDowell’s Criminal Justice Bill will spearhead the crackdown on
gangland crime.

‘It will, for example, outlaw the practice of sawing off the barrel of a shotgun and bring in minimum sentences of up to 10 years for certain firearm offences,’ said Deputy Kelleher, who last week called for the appointment of a Drugs Czar to oversee and co-ordinate a special office for national drug control policy fully funded by a designated department.

‘This Drugs Czar would have full access to staff and necessary resources and deal directly with gardaí in
the fight against drugs. He would develop a multi-faceted national drugs strategy - or White Paper
On Drugs - aimed at reducing the proportion of people under 25 using illegal drugs and the level of
re-offence among drug users. Access to drugs must also be cut and fully co-ordinated treatment services put
in place,’ said Deputy Kelleher.

He insisted that the gun amnesty be well publicised and enforced over a short timeframe to give criminals
one final chance to turn in their illegal weapons before tougher laws are introduced.

ENDS