SOME 450 licences for handguns have been issued in the State since last August despite new laws severely restricting their availability.
The information on the numbers was contained in a response to a parliamentary question tabled by Fine Gael deputy John Deasy to Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.
Mr Deasy, last night expressed surprise at what appeared to be the high number of handgun licences being issued, notwithstanding the new laws.
Last night the Department of Justice said over half the applications made since last August had been refused, at least 450 cases.
A spokesman also said that it was too early to get a comprehensive breakdown so as to ascertain if the new restrictions have been applied as was envisaged in the law.
The Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which commenced in August last year, applied much stricter restrictions on handgun licences.
A new three-year licence was introduced and applications were all treated as new rather than as renewals. The licensing authority is the Garda Chief Superintendent in the district.
Mr Ahern also said that “handguns have been generally banned since November 2008, with exceptions for Olympic-style target shooting.”
